It was the desire Laurel coach Jessica Shevitz has been looking for all year that led the Lady Spartans to a Section 2-AA win over Neshannock.

Laurel, which was eliminated from playoff contention earlier in the week, still had plenty to play for at home on Senior Night.

Seniors Aislinn Deinert, Marisa Wallas and Dalainey Meals scored 37 of the Lady Spartans’ points. They helped Laurel (4-8, 8-14) snap a six-game losing streak and pull away in the second and third quarters, when it outscored the Lady Lancers, 38-24. Wallas paced the Lady Spartans with 18, while Deinert scored 12 — 10 in the fourth quarter — and Meals added seven.

“I’ve been talking all season about wanting it more than the other team,” Shevitz said. “In a lot of our losses, I thought the other team wanted it more. Tonight we showed up and we played like we wanted it. It’s a shame we’re not in the playoffs because I think we’re a playoff-caliber team. But this was a really good way to end the season.”

The enthusiasm for the game started early — really early. Shevitz said her junior varsity team was especially fired up for this game because of a rivalry between the team’s freshmen players.

“They’re two of the best freshman classes in the county, and our freshmen have lost to them every single time since fourth grade, and they beat them tonight,” she said. “I had girls on the bench telling me they’re going to Disney Land. I thought that was huge, especially because when you lose to a team so many times, it gets in your head, and they erased all that tonight.”

Megan Hoover added 10 points and seven rebounds for Laurel, and Ellen Shaffer grabbed a team-high 15 rebounds. Neshannock’s Madison McHale led all scorers with 19 points, while Alexandra Fischer netted 17 for the Lady Lancers (4-7, 8-13).

“Neshannock is a good team and I’m looking forward to some epic battles with them over the years,” Shevitz said.