DIXFIELD — There is a point when the ebb and flow of a game can go either way, but when push came to shove, Hannah Knight sank a pair of free throws with 13.4 seconds left in double overtime as Dirigo escaped with 32-30 win in a girls’ basketball game.

The Cougars held together down the stretch in fending off Livermore Falls, which had rallied back to force the extra sessions at chilly Defoe Gymnasium.

Livermore Falls was anxious to get back on track after having lost to Boothbay on Tuesday. Dirigo utilizes its trademark man-to-man defense (least points allowed in conference).

Livermore Falls had tied the score at 30 on a pair of free throws by Annika Durrell (10 points) early in the second overtime.

“We were trying to spread the floor and get an easy (basket),” Dirigo coach Reggie Weston said. “I certainly didn’t want to stall, but we couldn’t put in anything tonight. My best shooters were rimming it out the entire game.”

The teams traded missed shots and turnovers before Dirigo (4-1) controlled the ball and moved it inside. Knight drew a foul and calmly sank both ends of a one-and-one.

“I was nervous,” Knight said. “But, I was confident and it’s a great feeling. We needed to be patient with the ball toward the end. This was a fun game to play in because Livermore Falls is a good team.”

Livermore Falls (3-2) brought the ball down and guard Kathryn Ventrella (seven points) dished the ball into a cutting Durrell, who had the baseline. Unfortunately, the Andies bench had singled for a timeout.

“We had the right play called,” Livermore Falls coach Mark Simpson said. “But I had to call for time. Still, this was a great game and to come in to their gym and go two overtimes, you can’t ask for much more.”

Livermore Falls inbounded the ball from underneath the basket and Cougar sophomore Alyssa Wade (10 points, four steals) knocked the ball to mid court and a last-second shot was wide. The Andies hurt themselves, committed 27 turnovers, made one of four shots in the extra sessions and made eight of 16 free throws in the game.

Both teams credited its defenses, which were forced to carry the load and created havoc at both ends of the court. Knight (six points, seven steals) and Morgan Hutchins (seven points, 11 rebounds) and Ricki Sinclair (five points) staked the Cougars to a 21-18 lead after three quarters. The Andies first lead came on a Megan Therrien basket midway through the fourth quarter.

Dirigo shot 19 percent in regulation, made three of seven in OT, made eight of 11 free throws and committed 14 turnovers. The Andies were held without a field goal until Ventrella buried a trey three minutes in to the second quarter.

“Our defense played great again,” Weston said. “Morgan Hutchins and even when Brooke Kersey came in, they guarded Hannah Therrien (nine points) and I knew they wanted the ball inside.”