DIXFIELD — Dirigo turned things up when it had to and executed down the stretch in a Mountain Valley Conference girls’ basketball game Wednesday night.

Kayla Gaudin scored a career-high 18 points and proved to be a force at both ends of the court as the Cougars stepped up defensively, holding on for a thrilling 41-37 win against Carrabec at Defoe Gymnasium.

Each team had numerous opportunities to gain an advantage, but turnovers and missed shots in the waning minutes failed to help. It was the fast-paced action that had players scrambling on the floor for loose balls. Carrabec tied the score on a basket by Jerzee Rugh at 37-all with 3:27 left to play, but that was the last gasp.

”There was nothing from (Dirigo) that we hadn’t planned for,” Carrabec coach Skip Rugh said, regarding adjustments in the second half. ”We wanted to push ball inside more, but we just didn’t execute. Turnovers really hurt us.”

On the opposite end, Dirigo pulled the air out of the ball and received solid ball movement. The strategy eventually paid off when Jessica Conant bounce passed to Ambyr Wilson who cut down the lane. The teams each traded turnovers and then Dirigo was patient and Gaudin scored off a feed by Lindsy Crutchfield with 1:16 left to play.

“They had come back on us and we had started to get down on ourselves,” said Gaudin, who had nine rebounds, five on offense and four steals. ”A couple helped us get energy and every one stepped up.”

Dirigo (3-1) replaced four starters, and still have plenty of things to work out, but the Cougars are developing depth. The Cougars, who beat Oak Hill 47-46 and Lisbon, but faltered to unbeaten Madison, substituted freely again. Conant scored seven points, six rebounds and three steals, while freshman spark-plug Emma Leuders had four steals off the bench and handled the ball in the fourth quarter.

“We had an in-your-face defense and the pressure was a key in fourth quarter,’ ‘Dirigo coach Reggie Weston said, regarding the Cougars’ 18 steals and the Cobras’ 41 turnovers. “We had started out with the in-your-face defense, and I felt Carrabec was having trouble against it, but the girls got tired. We haven’t had any practices since playing last Saturday because of the snow days.”

Carrabec had pulled within 33-29 in the third quarter on basket by Mercedes Welch (13 points) from over the top and a Kate Stevens (seven points) jumper. Dirigo had shot itself in the foot by missing 18 of 22 shots.The lone baskets were an offensive rebound by Gaudin and a Leuders drive.

”We had to many turnovers,” said Weston, who plays Mt. Abram in Salem tonight. ”It should be 15 in a girls’ game, and I think we are better than that. I told the girls they need to anticipate passes more and get back to help.”

The score was tied or changed sides 12 times in the first 11 minutes. Gaudin scored eight in the second quarter for a 27-22 lead at halftime. The Cougars and Cougars each made seven free throws, but Carrabec shot 50 percent to 28.