SOUTH CHINA -- If the Erskine Academy girls basketball team hopes to make a run deep into the Eastern Maine Class B tournament, it will have to continue playing the tight defense it showed off on Tuesday night against Foxcroft Academy.

The Eagles, the No. 4 seed in the region, played full court defense and pestered the No. 13 Ponies all night. Foxcroft committed 31 turnovers, nine in the fourth quarter, as Erskine pulled away for the 48-32 win.

Erskine (15-4) will take on either No. 5 Camden Hills or No. 12 Caribou at 2:05 p.m. Saturday at the Bangor Auditorium. Foxcroft closes its season at 10-9.

"We did tonight what we did all season," Erskine coach Scott Corey said. "We got better defensively."

The Ponies made a run in the third quarter to cut a 10-point Erskine lead to three, but Foxcroft's lack of depth left the team tired in the fourth quarter. Foxcroft played just seven players -- six through the first three quarters -- and in the fourth quarter the fatigued Ponies couldn't keep up with the Eagles.

Erskine held Foxcroft to one field goal during the final 10 1/2 minutes of the game and scored a number of points in transition and off of second chances.

"We really had to press," said Ericka Malley, who led Erskine with a game-high 21 points. "We've been working on it a while."

Although the Eagles didn't match up with Foxcroft's 6-footers, Vanessa and Tiffany Lougee, neither was a factor for the Ponies. Foxcroft's inside duo combined for 10 points and eight rebounds.

"Our guards pressured (Foxcroft) on top and we didn't let them get it inside," Corey said.

"A few things didn't go our way," added Foxcroft coach Rachel Larlee, who was hit with a technical foul with 43 seconds left in the first quarter after arguing a call.

Ashley Peaslee and Ashley Richardson each scored eight points for Erskine, while Jessica St. Amand had six steals. Vanessa Lougee and Bekah Flanders each scored eight points for Foxcroft.

Travis Lazarczyk -- 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.com