The Meridian High School girls’ basketball team scored the first 15 points on Wednesday night, but had to fend off a late rally from Liberty (Bealeton) en route to a 45-36 win.

After beating Warren County by 21 on the road Tuesday, the Meridian Mustangs had only one more opponent in the way until their crucial regular season finale against Skyline. That would be the Eagles of Liberty, who have won three games this season and who Meridian beat 53-24 on their home floor back in December. But games aren’t played on paper.

The Mustangs looked to make quick work of Liberty early on, jumping out to a 15-0 start, but the Eagles climbed back within 19-8 after a quarter and 20-17 late in the first half. Meridian scored the last four points before the break and then went back ahead by double digits, before another run by the visitors brought them as close as within two in the fourth quarter. But the Mustangs got it together and scored the game’s final seven points, avoiding what would have been a stunning upset.

“Playing back-to-back nights, our energy just wasn’t there,” head coach Chris Carrico said postgame, specifically mentioning the amount of wide open shots the Mustangs’ normally suffocating defense gave up. “They had two girls score just about all their points… our focus needed to be better.”

Still, when you can be frustrated after your seventh consecutive win, it’s never a bad thing. Charlotte Lieu led the way with 13 points, while Bridget Creed and Rose Weatherly each added 10. Anisa Frey scored nine.

Meridian has clinched the top seed throughout the Regional playoffs. The girls will now close out their regular season against Skyline on Friday, the team responsible for their only loss in 19 games this year.