The Douglas girls' basketball team received a gift in the form of three first-quarter fouls against Damonte Ranch standout Colleen Carlson Thursday night.
Unfortunately for the Tigers, Carlson did the bulk of her damage during that same three-foul stretch and the Douglas offense couldn't recover as Damonte Ranch held on for a 44-32 win in Minden.
Carlson led all scorers with 18 points, 13 of which came in the first quarter, giving the Mustangs just enough breathing room to walk away with the win.
Douglas (4-7 overall, 0-1 Sierra League) opened the game with a 3-pointer and the back end of a pair of free throws for the early 4-0 lead, but Carlson stepped in and took over, keying a 17-0 run that included all 13 of her first-quarter points, a number of big steals and blocks and a dominating performance under the boards.
Gina Pfaffenberger ended the run with a late first-quarter basket, but the Mustangs had the 17-6 lead.
Due to the fouls, Carlson was forced to sit the entire second quarter, but Douglas only managed seven more points before halftime while Damonte extended its lead to 26-13.
Things got even tougher for the Tigers in the third as the Mustangs held them to just four points.
Carlson fouled out of the game with 5:44 left and Douglas proceeded to make an 11-2 run, but Damonte Ranch was able to hold it off with four late free throws to seal the win.
Jessica Waggoner led the Tigers with 10 points, Taryn Williams had seven, Kaela Horse scored six, Michelle Richardson had three and Nicole Didero, Bridget Maestretti and Pfaffenberger each finished with two.