LISBON — The Monmouth Academy girls’ basketball team watched a 12-point first-half lead reduced to four points by Lisbon in the Mountain Valley Conference season-opener for both teams on Saturday.

With the fans in the new Greyhounds’ home gym firmly behind their team, Lisbon went to the half down just five points behind and seemingly with all the momentum.

The Mustangs took care of that quickly in the second half, using a 12-0 run and a suffocating defense en route to a 45-26 victory.

Monmouth (1-0) opens its home slate on Tuesday against Winthrop, while 0-1 Lisbon heads to Oak Hill on Tuesday.

“We missed a lot of shots, panicked and just came out kind of flat,” Lisbon coach Julie Petrie said. “Good teams take advantage when you make mistakes. Plus, our momentum didn’t carry over into the third quarter.”

“They came out in the second half and put it together,” Monmouth coach Scott Wing said. “We hit some big shots and kept playing some good defense. We gave up just four points in the third quarter. The kids always work hard, it is just about execution.”

Monmouth defense

After Lisbon’s Jasmin Le and Monmouth’s Hannah Anderson exchanged a pair of free throws, the Mustangs turned up the full-court pressure. Lisbon committed 10 first-quarter turnovers, but stayed in it thanks to five points from Bree Sautter and Monmouth’s struggles at the free-throw line. The Mustangs hit just 4-of-11 from the charity stripe in the opening frame and led 10-7 as Anderson picked up four points.

A run that started with Monmouth leading 8-7 continued into the second quarter. Two-pointers by Abbey Allen, Abby Ferland and Anderson, along with a trey by Haley West made for an 11-0 run and a 19-7 Monmouth lead.

But, the Greyhounds fought back. After Anderson picked up her third foul and guard Tia Day went to the bench with her second, Lisbon began causing turnovers and making shots. Kaylin Le scored four points during an 8-0 Lisbon run that moved the Greyhounds to 19-15 with 2:17 left until halftime.

“We started to turn the ball over and didn’t make some easy baskets,” said Wing of his team’s momentary lapse in the second quarter. “Our point guard was on limited action (Sidney Wilson), and then our other guard (Day) picked up her second foul and that certainly changed some things for us.”

West scored to end Lisbon’s run as Monmouth carried a 21-16 lead to the intermission.

Any doubt in the outcome of this one was laid to rest in the third quarter. After Jasmin Le answered an Anderson jump shot with one of her own, Monmouth ran off the next 12 points for a 35-18 lead. Wilson hit back-to-back shots to key the run, while Ferland added four. Monmouth led 35-20 through 24 minutes.

“We picked up the intensity and started the second half off strong,” said Anderson, who had eight points and three steals. “We started playing real basketball and going to the hoop more.”

Monmouth’s lead stretched to 24 points, 44-20, after a 9-0 run to open the fourth, four points coming from West.

Lisbon finished strong, with Kaylin Le, Valerie Doucette and Mallory Fairbanks making a basket each down the stretch.

“We take pride in our gym and the girls were excited,” Petrie said. “I expected them to be nervous. It was tough to get close, then to have Monmouth open it back up took it away from us. We will get better.”

Wilson matched Anderson with a game-high eight points, with West chipping in seven, Ferland six and Day five. West and Allen pulled down seven rebounds apiece as the Mustangs held a 30-21 rebounding edge.

Lisbon received six points each from Sautter, Kaylin Le and Doucette. The Greyhounds shot 25 percent (10-of-40) from the floor and committed 24 turnovers.