Girls’ basketball fell just short to the Millbury Woolies on December 21, losing 44-39.  

A late three pointer by senior Naraylee Baez put the T-Hawks within three points, but Millbury made two free throws with a few seconds left to secure their victory.  

Baez led Algonquin in scoring with ten points.  

“Obviously, there’s a couple things I need to work on, but I think I did well tonight and so did the team; I think it was a good comeback tonight,” Baez said.

Millbury junior Morgan Cronan led Millbury with 11 points, while sophomore Cam Wilbur added ten and junior Shannon Reno contributed nine.  

Early on, it was a low scoring game as Algonquin’s defense held the Woolies to just eight points in the first quarter.

“Our defense this game has definitely been the best it has been, throughout the whole year and that first half was really great,” senior captain Emily Genga, who finished with nine points said.  “As long as we keep that up throughout the whole game, I think we have a really good shot at beating some tough teams.”

The T-Hawks took the lead in the second quarter, but Millbury struck back just before halftime led by Cam Wilbur.  

Millbury extended their lead in the second half with a 12-3 run.  However, the T-Hawks weren’t giving up yet. Genga and freshman Danielle Adams helped Algonquin make a 9-4 run to end the third quarter and cut Millbury’s lead to just two points.

The T-Hawks underclassmen continued to contribute throughout the game.  Adams finished with nine points and freshman Jada Carter-Frem made a big impact defensively while sophomore Kate McNeil helped lead Algonquin’s final try at a comeback in the fourth quarter, finishing with five points.  

“[I’m] really happy with the young kids’ play tonight, it’s promising for the future, giving them a lot of experience now,” said head coach Melissa Fustino. “They’re doing a great job, working hard, we’re just trying to get better and this will help as the year goes on and as the years go on.”

Millbury began the fourth quarter with an 11-2 run that gave them a double digit lead, but McNeil and the T-Hawks narrowed the lead once again with a 12-5 run of their own.  After a Baez’s three, it was 42-39 Millbury with a few seconds left. Algonquin fouled with about two seconds left in the game, but Millbury junior Kelsey Reno made both free throws to make it 44-39, and ultimately the final score in the win for the Woolies.  

Coach Fustino believes the team has improved with each game.  The T-Hawks will travel to Sutton High School on December 26 hoping to earn their first victory.