BEL AIR, Md. - The Harford women's basketball team (22-2) earned a huge victory in its regular season finale over ASA (18-2) on Monday, 81-67. The Fighting Owls wore down the bigger Avengers in the fourth quarter, outscoring them 26-14 to defeat the Avengers for the first time in school history.

The victory, though semi-meaningless in the big picture, was a stepping stone for the Fighting Owls. ASA has been Harford's kryptonite in the recent past, ending the Fighting Owls season on the brink of the National Tournament each of the past three seasons. 

While the third quarter has been the money quarter for Harford this season, Monday night's pivotal frame was the final one. The quick play of the deep Harford squad finally took its toll on the ASA bigs in the fourth quarter. Entering the frame, Harford led 55-53 and both teams had key players in foul trouble. ASA's best player and the nation's leading rebounder, Cheridene Green, picked up a pair of quick fouls out of position to foul out early in the frame. Point guard Stephanie Davis, plagued with foul trouble all night, finally picked up her disqualifying penalty as well.

Harford's three bigs of Janessa Fauntroy, Diamond Mickle and Dominique Walker all entered the final frame with four fouls each trying to keep up with the Avengers' height but all four were able to remain solid and stay in the game.

For the Fighting Owls, it was good that Fauntroy remained active, as she keyed a pivotal stretch to help Harford pull away in the fourth. She hit back-to-back tough buckets that included an and-one that fouled out Green, totaling five points in the decisive frame.

Darra Walker scored eight of her game-high 22 points in the fourth, connecting on six triples in back-to-back games for the first time in her career. Daisa Harris scored seven of her 19 in the fourth and Mia Fitts netted five of her 18 in the final stanza.

Dominique Walker totaled 11 points, nine boards and three blocks while Mickle chipped in with 11 caroms.

The Fighting Owls open their title defense on Thursday at 1 p.m. as the top seed against the host Garrett Lakers.