After three minutes in the locker room with her team at halftime of Salem’s home match-up with Bishop Guertin, head coach Elizabeth Briggs left and sat on the bench for some alone time.

“I didn’t have anything positive to say, and that’s not my style,” Briggs said with a laugh following the game on Tuesday, Jan. 27. “They had to own up to it, so they met by themselves and discussed what they wanted to do.”

Whatever that discussion involved, it worked.

The Blue Devils erased a nine-point halftime deficit and held the Cardinals to 14 second- half points, storming past Bishop Guertin, 50-43.

Salem improved to 4-5 without Amanda Saab, who has missed the entire season and was scheduled to have knee surgery on Wednesday, Jan. 28, officially ending any thoughts of a comeback.

But against Guertin, the Blue Devils’ comeback was a team effort. Nora Galvin, the only Salem player in double figures with 10 points, led a balanced attack.

Saab is one of just five seniors on the Salem roster, and a large number of minutes this season have gone to young players. Of the six top scorers vs. the Cardinals, one was a senior.

“The only positive thing about Amanda’s injury was that it came the second day of practice,” said Briggs. “The team was still forming, so we’ve had the chance to get some young players prepared for some big varsity minutes.”