CIF STATE BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS : Bench Strength Keeps It Close for Mater Dei : Division I girls: With Peterson in foul trouble, Hurlbut fuels rally that comes up two points short.

OAKLAND — Atherton Sacred Heart Coach Mike Ciardella wasn’t fooled into thinking Mater Dei was a one-woman team.

Although Melody Peterson, Mater Dei’s leading scorer and rebounder, fouled out with 2 minutes 14 seconds remaining and Sacred Heart clinging to a three-point lead, Ciardella never heaved a sigh of relief.

Mater Dei sophomore Lori Hurlbut wouldn’t allow it.

Hurlbut, who averages five points, came off the bench to score 10 points and make two three-pointers to keep the Monarchs’ comeback hopes alive in the State Division I girls’ basketball final Saturday at the Oakland Coliseum Arena. But Mater Dei came up short, losing 52-50.

“Thank God it wasn’t a three-point game when Hurlbut made that last three-pointer,” Ciardella said. “We knew they could shoot.

“Hurlbut and Charlene Mendoza did a nice job coming off the bench for them. Hurlbut has a nice shot.”

Unfortunately for Mater Dei, Hurlbut’s final basket only cut the lead to 51-50 with six seconds remaining. The Monarchs fouled Sacred Heart’s Renee Robinson with 0.8 seconds remaining.

Robinson, a highly touted junior, made the first of two free throws. Robinson, who is being recruited by Stanford and Louisiana Tech, missed the second, but Mater Dei couldn’t get off a final desperation shot.

“This game was never secure,” Ciardella said. “Mater Dei never quit.”

Hurlbut sent the Monarchs into the fourth quarter on a good note. Trailing by seven with the Gators threatening to break open the game, Mater Dei cut into the lead after a three-point play by Rhonda Gondringer and Hurlbut’s 22-footer just before the third quarter buzzer to make it 36-35.

“That one got everyone going,” Mater Dei senior Michelle Meyers said. “We never doubted that we could come back, but that kind of stepped up our belief that we really could win.”

Said Hurlbut: “I hadn’t touched the ball a whole lot before that. That kind of got me into the game.”

Although Sacred Heart scored five consecutive points to build the lead to six points, Hurlbut answered with a three-point play to make it, 41-38.

But there’s a good reason Sacred Heart has won 113 of its last 114 games.

Sacred Heart apparently seized the momentum when Peterson fouled out late in the game. Hurlbut’s chance to get the Monarchs closer came after a steal, but she missed an off-balance layup.

Robinson snatched the rebound and raced upcourt, then fed Trisha Felts for a layup to make it, 51-46, with 1:55 remaining.

“We missed some layups down the stretch and they made some tough shots,” Mater Dei Coach Mary Hauser said. “That’s the difference between winning a State championship game and losing it.

“This team had a lot of heart and desire and they showed that tonight.”