Since Toll Gate and Warwick Vets play in different leagues within Division II, Monday’s match-up between the two was a non-league game. Vets coach Owen Paquet took that as an opportunity to try some new things, namely a role reversal in the lineup. Vets’ bench players started the game; the usual starters came in later.

It was a good set-up.

The ’Canes who started the game set the tone defensively and held their own at the offensive end, getting a three-pointer by Liz Bailey and a jumper by Brianna Fontaine. When the regular starters came in at the 12-minute mark, they brought with them a significant burst of energy and promptly put together a 15-2 run. That surge proved to be the game’s decisive run, as Vets held off Toll Gate for a 44-32 victory.

“It was a big role reversal for us, and who knows? Maybe I can start them more,” said Paquet. “They have great chemistry and they got us off to a good start. Then the first five came in with a lot of energy and that really turned the game in our favor. It was a nice situation.”

Toll Gate came into Monday’s game feeling good. Last Wednesday, the Titans beat Burrillville 56-52 in overtime for their first victory of the season.

But the confidence gained from that win didn’t help the Titans get off to a fast start against Vets. Two inside buckets by Miranda Coleman were Toll Gate’s only field goals in the first eight minutes of the game.

Vets took advantage.

Bailey, Fontaine, Makayla Ferri, Meghan Friel and Cori Hawley played a solid four minutes before the regular starters made their entrance.

“I said to them, ‘Hey, this is your time to really show what you’ve got,’” Paquet said. “A lot of times, they’re getting in late in the game when we’re down. Even then, they do a nice job spreading the ball around and they have really good chemistry. They do a nice job. I think they were pumped to get a chance.”

After the lineup change, Jess Arnold started the ’Canes on their big run with a driving lay-up. Nissa Perez then stole the ball and passed it ahead to Brittany Alejo for a lay-up. Bailey followed with a jumper and Alejo scored inside as Vets turned a one-point lead into a nine-point lead.

Toll Gate’s Morgan Neiley stemmed the tide momentarily with a basket at the other end, but Arnold scored inside, Bailey hit a three and Perez scored on a follow as Vets opened up a 20-6 lead.

“It can be difficult to get somebody off the bench to play well, especially when they’re not used to coming off the bench,” Paquet said. “It was nice to see the energy. I said, ‘It’s your time to play,’ and they jumped right in. They did a great job.”

The energy level certainly made a difference. Toll Gate was just starting to settle in when Paquet made the substitutions. Suddenly, the pace was a lot faster.

“Vets has a real quick team and they do everything well,” said Toll Gate coach Joe Paliotta. “They were tough for us.”

Paige Corwin hit a pair of three-pointers as the Titans chipped away at the lead, but Vets’ pressure defense was a constant thorn in Toll Gate’s side. The ’Canes forced turnovers on the first two possessions of the second half. Arnold and Alejo turned them into points as the lead swelled to 17. The Titans finished the game with 20 turnovers.

“We’ve been working on that a lot in practice,” Paquet said. “We really need to put more pressure on the ball. That’s crucial. Sometimes we get lazy feet and just sit there. I’ve been really pushing the philosophy of staying on your toes and pressuring the ball. Defensively, that really paid off tonight.”

While the turnovers helped the ’Canes get some easy points, their half-court offense also yielded positive results. Arnold led Vets with 14 points and Bailey scored 12. Alejo and Perez tallied eight points each.

“In the half-court offense, I was really happy with what we did,” Paquet said. “It was much better than what I’ve seen the last few games. We were spreading the court really well.”

For Toll Gate, Paige Corwin led the way with 17 and Coleman scored eight. The Titans were hoping to build on their victory over Burrillville, but they’ll have another opportunity when they get back to league play on Friday against Johnston.

And the victory isn’t too far back in the rearview mirror. The win over Burrillville represented Toll Gate’s best performance of the year. For once, the team’s offensive output matched its effort, with Corwin scoring 23 and Kelsey Halton adding 20.

“It was a big lift,” Paliotta said. “The kids played well and shot the ball relatively well. We haven’t scored that many points all year. The kids were pumped. I hope they don’t get too down from tonight.”

The ’Canes, who sit at 2-6 in league play, returned to action on Wednesday at Mount Hope. They’ll be home next Wednesday against Middletown.

“We feel pretty good,” Paquet said. “There are moments of non-focus on our team, and it seems like we take some plays off every now and then. But the girls have been working hard in practice. We’re ready to get back into it. If we can battle like we did tonight, and show the focus and the heart we did tonight, we should be in good shape.”