In a nice early season girls matchup, Cambridge hosted Tamarac on Friday night  The Indians took control early, but left the door slightly ajar, and while the Bengals stepped to the open door they never walked through as Cambridge held on for the 49-44 victory.

Three minutes into the first period the Indians, holding a 5-4 lead, went on a run, building a cushion they would hold for much of the contest.  Cambridge closed the quarter with a 12-2 spurt that saw five different players score, and held a 17-6 advantage after the first.

In the second Cambridge used a 10-1 run to expand their lead to 17 at 27-10.  Sophomore guard Lily Phillips buried a triple, and followed that with a bucket and one to get things started.  Sophomore Sophie Phillips next scored on a drive and sophomore Fiona Mooney, off a nice find from another sophomore Mikayla McClenithan, finished with an inside deuce to complete the rampage.

The two squads played evenly through the rest of the period that ended with Tamarac’s  Madi Wagner connecting on a three pointer, sending the teams to the break with Cambridge in control at 30-17.

Midway through the third, with the Indians holding a 34-20 advantage, the visitors from Clum’s Corners started to close the gap with a 10-4 run of their own,

Senior Kylie Galipeau scored a transition bucket, sophomore guard Syrita Faraj added three more on an and one, and the Bengals converted on 5 of 6 free throws before Faraj ended the spurt and the quarter with a foray to the run trimming the Cambridge lead to six at 38-32.

Two minutes into the fourth with the Indians holding a 42-36 lead,  the Bengals scored six unanswered with a bucket and two free throws by senior guard Emily Erickson and sophomore forward Jordan Sorel going glass as Tamarac drew even with 4:09 to play.

A minute later Erickson committed her fifth personal of the contest and was forced to take a seat as Lily Phillips knocked down two from the stripe, and on the Indians next possession Mooney scored on a drop step bumping the lead to 46-42 with 2:18 remining.

Sorel bottomed two free throws on the Bengals next possession and those would be Tamarac’s last points of the night.

The game came down to the Indians last possession with :22 left on the game clock and :16 remaining on the shot clock after Cambridge took a timeout holding a 47-44 lead. The Bengals chose not to foul, and Sophie Phillips holding her dribble on top waved everyone off until she was ready, then used a Mooney screen to get to the rim, missing her floater but scoring on the putback and Cambridge celebrated the well-earned “W”.

Lily Phillips led all scorers with 16 points for Cambridge and Mooney added 13 points for the Indians who improve to 3-0 on the season.

Faraj scored 14 points to pace the Bengals who see their mark at 1-1 in the early going.