LYNN – The St. Mary’s girls basketball squad closed out its most successful regular season last night by taking its third consecutive Spartan Classic title (second straight at Division 3). The team bombarded defending Division 3 state champ Lee with a 23-0 first quarter blitz, then withstood a furious Lady Wildcat charge for a 71-60 triumph at Conigliaro Gym.Not only did the victory give the Lady Spartans their 18th win, but it was also the team’s fourth title of this campaign (Disney Tourney, Boverini, Catholic Central, Spartan Classic). The loss was the first of the season for Lee (18-1), who hadn’t suffered a setback since Dec. 29, 2009The teams traded early baskets, before St. Mary’s went on its 23-0 first quarter tear. The Lady Spartans utilized their strong height advantage, collecting missed Lady Wildcat shots, as well as blocking several others, and turning them into fast-break baskets.Guard Brianna Rudolph (14 points) took a Lady Wildcat miss, and went coast-to-coast for one basket, while center Tori Faieta (the tourney’s MVP with her 21-point, 14-rebound, five-block performance) was the recipient of several lob passes from both Rudolph and Cassi Amenta (11 points), working her height to her advantage for layups.”This was our last (regular season) game at home, and we were undefeated,” said Lady Spartans coach Jeff Newhall. “Lee has what we want (a Division 3 state title), and after coming out (Sunday night) flat against Swampscott, we were truly ready to play (against Lee) and came right out. We established the inside game, and built the lead.”Lee coach Gary Wellington saw his team trail, 27-4 (going more than six minutes without points), at the end of the opening stanza.”That’s the biggest team that we’ve played all year,” he said about St. Mary’s. “They have three six-footers in the starting lineup, and others coming off the bench, while we have ten players 5-6 and under.”Though Lee never held the lead at any point in the contest (the game was tied at 2-2 30 seconds in), the Lady Wildcats continued to battle, outscoring St. Mary’s 24-17 in the second period. Lee was also able to find its outside game, hitting a trio of three-pointers (two by guard Caryn Biasin) and using a 9-2 run to bring the team to within 44-28 at the half.Both teams battled evenly throughout the third, as the Lady Spartans continued to use their height and inside game to control the boards. The Lady Wildcats got to within 56-42 late in the period, but a pair of outside shots by guard Erin Fahey pushed the lead back to 16 (60-44) entering the final quarter.Fahey netted the first basket of the fourth, but Lee went on a 10-0 run that closed the gap to 62-54 with just under five minutes remaining.”I told the team that at no point did Lee ever get flustered,” said Newhall. “They made their adjustments and kept on playing. They fell behind, and kept on battling. They’re an excellent team, and we’re envious of what they have (the state title).”That’s when Faieta took over. She scored the following two baskets, and though Lee got to within ten (68-58) with 1:48 remaining, guard Kirsten Ferrari put the game away with a three-pointer in the final minute.