HINGHAM – A 43-point performance from senior guard Ava Orlando helped steer Notre Dame Academy (Hingham) to an 85-72 victory over Central Catholic.

The Cougars improved to 7-1 with the victory and took down a Raiders team that was ranked No. 5 in Division 1. A key to this was a blazing first quarter that saw NDA grab a 33-10 lead.

Head coach Nickie Orlando said that the game’s fast-tempo, especially early in that first quarter, played to their strengths.

“The tempo of the game was unbelievable,” Nickie Orlando said. “The first half helped us get going defensively and we were then able to translate that to offense.”

The Cougars put up 20 points in the first three minutes and allowed just three. They utilized a full-court press and Ava Orlando noted that this aggressive style fit the team’s identity.

“We put a lot of emphasis on our press and defense,” Ava Orlando said. “Our motto is throwing the first punch so we’re really focused on taking a big step at the beginning to secure the win

The press forced numerous turnovers from the Raiders, who were eventually able to have stronger ball security but struggled in this aspect in the opening half.

“Our ball pressure up front is very intense,” Nickie Orlando said. “Then we have a great back line that is able to get the steals and help convert those steals into more scoring.”

The second quarter was more competitive, with the Cougars only outscoring Central Catholic 19-18. The Raiders actually outscored the Cougars in the second half but the game was never truly in doubt.

Orlando also added seven assists and three steals. While her output on offense was the biggest story, Nickie Orlando noted that the guard’s tenacious defense sets the tone for the team.

“It goes under the radar how she leads the team defensively,” Nickie Orlando said of Ava. “She causes havoc up top, and everyone reads off of that.”

Effie Giannopoulos had 13 points, Reagan Costello had 12 and Katherine Chisholm had 11 points in the winning effort. Ava Orlando noted that the strong play from her teammates made her life easier too.

“I had a lot of trust in my teammates today,” Ava Orlando said. “We put a lot of emphasis on landing screens and they all did their part.”

Central Catholic was led by Lilly Phillips’ 28 points while Kerri Finneran had 24 points and McKenna Devanney had 11.

While the 85-point effort was a standout performance from the Cougars, Nickie Orlando said that the team still has plenty to work on and will focus on putting together four equally strong quarters.

“We’ve been concentrating on putting together four good quarters and I thought we put three good ones on the court today,” Nickie Orlando said. “We’re still working on trying to put together a complete game.”