(Big Mac: Senior captain Shannon McLaughlin scores two of her 13 points in Thursday night's win over Marhsfield. Photo: Jim Tarbox)

After a 1-5 start under new head coach Bob Sullivan, everything seems to be falling into place for the Lady Dragons who ripped off their fifth straight win on Friday night with a 66-28 trouncing of Hanover in Patriot League action.

Playing on back-to-back nights after pulling away from Marshfield in the fourth quarter the previous night for a 58-43 win over the Rams, Duxbury came back in grand fashion at home and raced to a 14-0 lead in the first four minutes of the win over the Indians. Juniors Michela North (4) and Katelyn Norton (6) propelled Duxbury to a 10-0 lead in less than three minutes, forcing the visitors to call a timeout to kill the host’s momentum.

When play resumed, freshman Meghan Sullivan added to the lead with four points of her own before Hanover scored its first point of the night with 4:18 left in the first quarter. When the quarter ended, Duxbury had a comfortable 18-5 lead.

Sullivan went to his bench at the start of the second quarter and the rout continued, as freshman Maddie Foote, junior heather Dorn, and freshman Catherine Harrison combined for six points and a 24-5 lead with 3:44 left in the half.

The starters returned shortly after and by halftime the Lady Dragons enjoyed a 32-12 lead.

The Indians had yet to see the best the Lady Dragons had to offer, but got an immediate glimpse of it when Bridget Quilty, Norton, and North combined for 12 points and a 44-14 lead just three minutes into the second half.

With the score growing to 48-16, Sullivan called a timeout to put his subs back in the game, and they proceeded to end the third quarter with Duxbury on top 54-18.

Sullivan cleared his bench once again to start the final eight minutes and he got some surprising results, as Kelly Dame, Emma Fiskio, Harrison, and Meghan Sullivan outscored the Indians 12-10 in the last quarter to keep Duxbury’s winning streak intact at five games.

North had another big night for Duxbury with 18 points, while Harrison and Norton chipped in with eight apiece.

The previous night the girls had a far more competitive evening and trailed 14-12 after the first period thanks to a buzzer-beating shot by Marshfield’s Lea Viola.

The Lady Dragons put their height advantage to good use in the second quarter and regained the lead, going into the locker room at halftime with a 28-22 lead.

North dominated after the break and helped her team to an eight-point lead at 42-34 after three periods.

Duxbury pulled away in the final eight minutes as a tired Ram squad ran out of gas.

Senior guard Shannon McLaughlin had a big night with 13 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, while junior Christina Curley played a super-sub role with six points off the bench.

“We had a tough schedule to start off, but we’ve ripped off five in a row now,” said Coach Bob Sullivan. “Things are clicking, our fast break is crisp, and we’re passing much better and sharing the basketball more than I thought we would. I like aggressive basketball and I’m not sure they played that way before, but they have adapted well to it and they are going to get better every day.”

On Thursday night Duxbury will seek some revenge when it entertains Division 1 New Bedford: overtime winners in their first meeting earlier in the season, 52-38