Bishop Guertin's Hailey McGowan puts up a shot against Mercy's Abi Weidman during Saturday's interstate batte at the Colligadome. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

NASHUA – It was a fun ride for the Bishop Guertin High School girls basketball team these past few weeks.

But a team that had a long ride to come to the Colligadome ended the Cards’ five-game winning streak, as annual guest Mercy of Middetown, Conn.handed BG a 55-43 loss Saturday afternoon.

Ironically, the Cards, who grabbed a 40-39 lead early in the fourth quarter after rallying from nine down, simply ran out of gas in the fourth quarter.

“Honestly, I think it was just the mental fatigue, exhaustion got the best of us,” Guertin coach Olivia Orlando said, as her team’s fifth straight win came just last night on the road at Exeter, a quick turnaround. “Obviously coming off of last night, it’s tough to bounce back and play within less than 24 hours of each other. And I thought we broke down, and I really think the conditioning piece played a huge piece for us.”

Guertin trailed 28-25 at the half and 39-36 after three but the Cards’ defensive pressure turned the tables on the 10-2 Tigers late in the third and early in the fourth. Then it changed.

“I was thinking, ‘Why are we having all this pressure?'” Mercy coach Tim Kohs said. “It was because they were being more aggressive on the ball. So I just went full court man, deny every entry pass and make the guards have to make every decision under duress. I thought that really got them out of their rhythm … The last four minutes we were what I think we can be.”

An 11-0 run will help that feeling. The dagger was a 3-pointer by Mercy’s Reagan Beeler for a 47-41 lead with 3:19 left.The Cards managed just three field goals in the last eight minutes, and were led overall by Thalia Drapeau’s relentless 18 points inside.

Mercy was paced by Kasey Clerkin’s 14 points plus 10 by its only senior, Abi Weidman. The Cards also got 11 by Hailey McGowan.

But it’s clear BG has recovered from its tough 0-4 start that featured the iron of Division I and a tough out-of-state opponent Wachusett (Mass.).

Bishop Guertin’s Gabrielle philbrick goes to the hoop against Mercy’s Emma James during Saturday’s interstate battle at the Colligadome. (Telegraph photo by TOM KING)

“Honestly it was going back to the basics,” Orlando said. “Trying to play more inside. I know nowadays the game has shifted a little bit and it’s a lot of outside shooting but we’re trying to get back to the basics of seeing layups go in. Once you make those high percentage shots, that when I think the outside shots look a lot better. And being defensive monsters, turning teams over, and really elevating our game that way because that’s what turns our offense into being the best it’s been.”

That’s how, as Kohs said, the Cards got their lead. It’s pretty evident how BG has to play, and the players have embraced it. They just need to be able to withstand the fatigue factor, not always easy.

“Super proud of the effort, super proud of the fight,” Orlando said. “But we couldn’t hang on to that one, tough.”