Nashua North's Kiley O'Brien, right, gets hounded by Nashua South's Aryanna Murray during the Panthers' tight 19-17 win over the Titans Tuesday afternoon at Stellos Stadium. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – It’s hard to say what was hotter at Stellos Stadium on Tuesday – the Motta Field turf or the offenses for both the Nashua High School North and South girls lacrosse teams.

It was a scoring duel that was slightly surprising, with the Panthers coming out on top 19-17 after having to hold on despite an early 8-2 lead.

You want numbers? Well, South’s Olivia Johnson tallied six, including her 100th career, when it looked at first like she might score 16. Kaitlyn West had four goals and three assists and Ella Benzekri four and one.

But keeping the Titans (7-7) afloat were the tandem of Kiley O’Brien and Lilly Brooks. O’Brien was giving the Panthers fits and tallied a whopping nine goals, while Brooks, who was a pest on draw controls with seven, had six.

But ironically, the Titans in the second half had just two possessions with a chance to tie. Still, they put on a show that you know South will try to limit in the rematch on Thursday.

“We did our best,” North coach Kristen Peterson said. “The girls hustled, gave 120 percent, and that’s all I can ask for.”

“I think the heat got to us a little bit,” South coach Ciki McIntire said. “Kiley O’Brien was all over the place, I give her all the credit in the world. She was absolutely amazing out there today, she just wanted the ball. Not that we didn’t, but it took a little bit of that for us to respond and get fired up.

“I think when we went up we thought it was going to be easy, and North just kept getting possession after possession, and kept storming back.”

Indeed, it looked over early on as a Soleil Dubois goal made it 8-2 South with 7:50 left.

Guess again.

“It’s the North-South rivalry,” Peterson said. “We weren’t just going to give up. I told them ‘You’ve got to want it.'”

And thus the Titans got into gear and stormed back, three goals in the final minute cutting the lead to two before a Madelyn Matylewski goal (she had two) made it 12-9 at halftime.

Key point in the game? Try a huge save by South’s late goalie sub, freshman Keira Walsh, who anticipated correctly on a high aim by Brooks with one of her two saves with 1:12 left to keep the lead at two. South had six draw controls (plus a goal) by Kylie Dawe, but the Panthers couldn’t count on anything at that point.

“We just need to get back to focusing on team defense,” McIntire said. “But it was a huge save.

“I’m glad we got a competitive game in. It was great for both teams.”

Still, the Titans were right there but couldn’t get over the hump, or least get it to OT.

“Very frustrating,” Peterson said. “But we’ll be back Thursday.”