In a tense match, the varsity girls’ basketball team defeated Mountain View, 50-37, in the third game of a four-team sweep on Friday’s quad night.

The game began ominously for the Lady Vikes, as Mountain View out-jumped Paly to secure the tip-off. In subsequent minutes, the teams traded layups and free throws, with Mountain View reigning over the scoreboard 11-6.

The game started to heat up when sophomore guard/forward Rachael Pecota nailed a 3-pointer. Sophomore guard Olivia Garcia scored next on an assist from junior forward Nicole Behr, tying the score at 11. The Lady Spartans retaliated with a field goal and ended the first quarter with the 13-11 lead.

As the second quarter commenced, it appeared as though Mountain View would sustain their hold on Paly. Within the first 20 seconds of the quarter, the Lady Spartans scored again, increasing their lead to four. Sophomore guard Kiley McDermott made three attempts to score, but each was impeded by Mountain View’s high-powered defense. Pecota finally brought an end to Paly’s immobility with a field goal, advancing the score 15-13. A minute later Behr stole the ball from Mountain View in mid-dribble and tied the score, 15-15.

The Lady Spartans, clamoring for their own action, made numerous efforts to salvage their lead, failing each time. In the fourth minute, a fully-charged Pecota hit yet another field goal and procured a 17-15 lead for Paly. Having taken command, the Vikings never looked back. As the second quarter progressed, the Lady Vikes sank seven additional points, with three layups and one out of two free throws, while the Lady Spartans obtained five points, with a field goal and three out of four free throws. The period became increasingly intense as frantic Mountain View players began aggressively thrashing Paly’s offensive players, intending to thwart the Lady Vikes’ shots. By the end of the first half, Mountain View trailed 26-20.

Going into the third quarter with Mountain View hot on Paly’s heels, head Paly coach Scott Peters relied on his usual starters – Behr, McDermott, Pecota, senior guard/forward Katie Barich, and freshman Alex Nguyen – to carry the team. With Mountain View uncomfortably close behind, the Lady Vikes accelerated their play. Nguyen, in the 14th second of the quarter, initiated the scoring with a layup. Sophomore Allie Coleman furthered the lead with a full-court drive, culminating in a layup, to which the Lady Spartans responded by snapping off a field goal and a free throw, leaving the scoreboard reading 30-23 in favor of Paly.

One Viking free throw later, the tension between the teams escalated, and the game became very physical. Paly, mounting an incredible defensive line, prevented the Lady Spartans, beset by a lack of communication and coordination, from entering their own key. With just 30 seconds left in the period, Paly, taking full advantage of Mountain View’s indecisiveness, hit a 3-pointer and raised the score 33-23. After the Lady Spartans were contentiously awarded two free throws, both of which were made, Mountain View became impelled by a sudden surge of momentum. The Lady Spartans scored twice within the last 30 seconds, making the score 33-29.

The Lady Vikes, still unable to find their stride going into the fourth quarter, geared up their offense to run more controlled plays. During the final quarter, Paly stepped up and managed 17 points to trump Mountain View’s 8 points.

Paly began the quarter with a field goal followed by a 3-pointer from Pecota, which the Spartans matched with two free throws and two field goals, advancing the score 38-35. As the quarter proceeded, Mountain View became frustrated by multiple missed shots. When the Lady Spartans’ play turned sloppy, Paly capitalized on their opponents’ waning endurance to plummet two consecutive field goals.

Sensing the danger of only a 7-point margin and realizing that time was on their side, the Vikings focused on expanding their lead, which they accomplished with two field goals and a scintillating 3-pointer from Barich. The two teams next swapped layups, bringing the score to 47-37. The Lady Spartans squandered their window of opportunity by allowing the Vikings to repeatedly penetrate their weak defense. Pecota capped the evening’s scoring when she swished a 3-pointer, begetting a final score of 50-37 in Paly’s favor.

Although the outcome of the game was received with unanimous contentment, the Lady Vikes harbored divergent views on their overall performance for the night.

"We knew that Mountain View would be a challenge," Pecota said. "In the beginning we struggled, but in the end we pulled ourselves together."

Sophomore Lizzie Henehan held a contrasting opinion.

"We didn’t play our best at all," Henehan said. "Our passing was pretty bad and we basically threw the game away. I’m just happy that we ended up winning."

The Lady Vikes face Wilcox in their next home game, scheduled for Jan. 17 at 7:00 p.m.