Dirigo’s Emily Woods gets the ball away from Carrabec’s Macie Plourde during a Class C South quarterfinal game Tuesday at the Augusta Civic Center. Anna Chadwick/Morning Sentinel

AUGUSTA — The Dirigo girls basketball team knocked off another goal — a win at the Augusta Civic Center.

Tenth-seeded Dirigo took control from the opening tip to defeat second-seeded Carrabec 43-26 in a Class C South quarterfinal Tuesday.

“I knew they could do it pretty much the whole time. We set baby goals throughout the season,” Dirigo coach Kelsey Hutchins said. “One was to start it out to have a better record than we did last year; we crossed that off the list pretty early. Then it was to have … at least 10 wins. We crossed that off, and then another goal, it was just step-by-step. Making playoffs, we made playoffs. Then finally we were like, ‘Hey guys, we have a good shot at making the ACC.’ And they bought right into it. I was never worried for a second. And now we’ve checked off another tiny goal with a win at the ACC.”

It was the Cougars’ first trip to Augusta since Hutchins’ senior year in 2015, when they reached the regional final before losing to Maranacook, 47-37.

How did Dirigo win?

• The Cougars (12-8) took the lead from the get-go, with Abigail Luczynski hitting a 3-pointer and another basket for a 5-0 advantage. Dirigo jumped out to a 13-4 lead after one quarter.

“We just had to keep our composure because we haven’t been great at keeping leads and kind of falling apart a little bit,” Luczynski said. “But tonight, I feel like we played pretty consistent all through.”

• Carrabec (14-5) made a run in the second quarter, cutting the deficit to 15-14 midway through the quarter. A 3-pointer from Madisyn Bradeen just before halftime gave Dirigo a 22-16 lead.

•  After an early bucket by Carrabec’s Ava Welch in the third quarter, Dirigo pulled away. They entered the fourth quarter with a 35-22 advantage.

They said it

• “I think moments, just we were getting stops, and then we were pushing the ball, and I saw (an) opening, so I just took it to the hole.” — Luczynski

• “And I went in, and as I said, because I feel that even though we are a 10 seed, I think we play bigger than that. I have a really, really talented group of girls, and I think now that they have a taste of it, they want more. I don’t think they’re ready to be done.” — Hutchins

• “Ava is young and she has a lot of growing to do, but she’s a really good player, and the future’s bright for us, so I’m excited about everything, where we’re going. Not the result we wanted tonight, but in the long run, I mean, we’re really excited where the program is right now.” —  Carrabec coach Will Cote

Statistical leaders

Dirigo: Luczynski (18 points), Diane Cayer (six points), Sophia Nino (six points, six rebounds).

Carrabec: Welch (14 points), Karen Baker (five points, five rebounds, three assists)

Up next

Dirigo: vs. Madison, 2 p.m. Thursday