Chad Lundquist/Nevada Appeal Carson's Megan Kilty gets fouled by Galena's Colleen Mullins, right, during Tuesday's game.
It was quite a home debut for Carson's 6-foot freshman center Danielle Peacon.
Peacon knocked down her first five shots from the field to spark the Senators to an early 15-point first-quarter lead, and she finished with 16 points and 12 rebounds to help Carson top Galena 52-46 Tuesday night at Morse Burley Gym.
The win evened Carson's record at 1-1 heading into the North Valleys Tournament on Thursday. Carson opens with Sparks Thursday at 4:30 p.m. at Wooster High School.
"Overall I'm pleased," Carson coach Ric Garcia said. "Galena went down south (Las Vegas) and played three games and blew one team out. I didn't know what to expect.
"A lot of times you don't know your weaknessess until you play somebody (Reed) last week. I saw more weaknessess in this game. We talked about getting back (on defense). I don't think we gave up a transition basket all night."
Carson had three defenders back most of the time, which left the Senators vulnerable on the glass. Unofficially, Galena had a 34-24 edge on the boards thanks mainly to the efforts of Langley Iverson, who finished with 22 points and 11 rebounds.
Peacon went 5-for-5 in the first quarter, and the Senators went 10-for-12 as a team to forge a 20-9 lead after a quarter.
"She (Peacon) couldn't miss," Garcia said. "She was hitting everything, and she was shooting 10-feet outside her range."
"I think Carson outhustled us and outplayed us," Galena coach Karen Friel said. "Our kids against their half-court offense we couldn't get stops (early). We adjusted to some things later."
The second and third quarters were a different story, as Iverson heated up and Carson cooled off.
Iverson scored Galena's last basket of the first quarter and the Grizzlies' first five points of the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 20-14. A lay-up by Megan Kilty and a 3-pointer and lay-up by Brandi Vega (19 points) upped the lead to 27-14 with 2:58 left in the half.
Two putbacks by Iverson and a bucket by Hayley Jensen trimmed the lead to 27-20 at halftime. The Senators didn't score in the final three minutes.
"We adjusted to some things," Friel said. "She (Iverson) was the only one moving at both ends."
"We quit working hard (on defense), and they started penetrating," Garcia said. "They also made a lot of shots. They made a lot of lay-ups."
A drive by Peacon and a buckety by Vega gave the Senators a 33-25 lead with 3:10 left in the third quarter, and again the Senators found that the basket had a lid on it down the stretch.
Iverson converted a three-point play, Jensen hit from short range and Amy Scott knocked down two free throws to pull within 33-32 after three quarters.
Iverson gave the Grizzlies their only lead of the game, 34-33, with 7:25 remaining, and that's when Carson switched to a 2-3 zone defense.
Vega and Anna Macquarie (10 points) scored four points apiece to spark a 12-0 run and regain control of the contest in the process. Galena struggled mightily against the zone, going 0-for-6 and turning the ball over three times in that span.
"I also think our girls prevented them from attacking it," Garcia said. "Megan and Brandi were pressuring them (out front) and not letting them get inside."
Friel felt it was lack of execution on the part of her team, citing lack of ball movement and patience.
"Everytime Carson went to a 2-3 zone, we stood around and passed the ball on the perimeter," Friel said. "We didn't attack the zone (in the fourth quarter). We made it easy to defend us."
JUNIOR VARSITY
CARSON 48, GALENA 44
Tiffany O'Day scored on a lay-up with 1:08 left to snap a 44-all tie, and the Senators improved to 2-0.
O'Day led the Senators with 11 points, Belen Munoz added 10 and Emily Field nine.
FRESHMAN
CARSON 41, GALENA 20
Carson held Galena to only eight first-half points en route to an easy win.
Marcela Watson led the Senators with nine points followed by Terralynn Tiffer with seven and Kendra Krupp with six.
Rachel Solano led Galena with 12 points.