Merrimack Valley 53, Pembroke 50
Key players: Merrimack Valley – MacKenzie McDonald (17 points), Miah Boucher (11 points), Ash McDonald solid rebounding game; Pembroke – Ashley Stephens (20 points, 8 rebounds), Lindsay St. Jacques (11 points, 7 rebounds)
Highlights: At the end of the first quarter, Merrimack Valley had a 15-9 lead. In the second quarter, Pembroke scored 20 points and took care of the ball with only one turnover to take the lead 26-22. Pembroke’s Ashley Stephens brought a needed spark off the bench while overcoming an injury to score 20 points and grab 8 boards.
Coaches’ quotes: “We came out strong early but Pembroke did a great job battling back. We struggled in the second quarter to get it going again, but we found a way late to close out the game. I feel the girls are starting to understand how to win close games late but we also need to learn how to close out games when we have big leads early. ” — Merrimack Valley’s Bob McNutt
“Tonight’s loss was a tough one, but we are very proud of how the girls played, attacking the basket and keeping MV off the offensive boards despite them being a very aggressive team. We will carry this energy into our next game on Friday at Souhegan.” — Caitlin Powers
Records: Merrimack Valley 5-5; Pembroke 3-6