ND GIRLS WIN TOURNEY

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- Ashley Millham scored 21 points as Notre Dame opened its season by winning the Perryville Tournament, defeating the Lady Pirates 58-43 in the championship game Wednesday night.

The victory improved Notre Dame's record to 3-0 on the season.

"They didn't handle our press very well," said Notre Dame coach Jerry Grim. "They have a scrappy, young team and we were able to get on them and not let up. I was very pleased with the way our defense played."

Both teams had posted narrow victories over North County earlier in the tournament in setting up a potentially tight showdown.

Notre Dame went ahead 12-4 in the first quarter and led 26-18 at halftime. The Lady Bulldogs broke the game open in the third quarter, outscoring Perryville 23-7 in the period for a commanding 49-25 lead.

Millham, a sophomore who has been playing point guard in place of injured Courtney Vickery, was 3 of 6 on 3-point attempts in compiling a career-high point total. She had scored 20 points the previous night against Chester, Ill., and has a team-high 44 points on the season.

"It's a little surprising," said Grim. "She's having to handle the ball and do things up on top."

Her older sister Lisa, a junior, added 15 points for Notre Dame and Deana McCormick finished with 11.

Stacy Baer paced Perryville (2-1) with 12 points.