ROSS TWP — It was a Sunday, bloody Sunday for the Mars girls basketball team.

On a Tuesday.

Moon point guard Reilly Sunday sliced through the Planets in the first round of the WPIAL Class 5A playoffs at North Hills Middle School.

She scored — Sunday hit her scoring average of 22 points.

She got steals — a handful of them.

And she got assists — more than Tiger interim coach Meghan Mastroianni could count — as Moon knocked out Mars 52-36.

“That's what we don't have,” lamented Mars coach Dana Petruska. “We don't have that point guard who plays like that, who distributes and takes it when she's got it. Yeah, she's good.”

Sunday was a part of just about every Moon point and keyed an 8-0 run to start the second half that turned a tight, three-point game, into a double-digit lead for the Tigers.

Sunday had two steals and four points during that quick spurt to start the third quarter. Moon switched to a press and it worked to perfection.

“(In the first half) we were kind of playing their game, their pace,” said Mastroianni, who took over at the end of January when Jody Powell was fired. “They like to play slower, so we just thought we'd throw a press at them to make some turnovers and get early baskets.”

Turnovers were a problem for Mars throughout.

The Planets (15-8) had six in the first quarter alone and fell behind 12-8. In the game, Mars turned the ball over 20 times.

Moon (17-6) only had six turnovers in the entire game.

“Really?” Mastroianni asked. “I can remember a few of them, but not a lot. That's good for us.”

Mars also struggled finishing around the basket, missing a number of layups.

Perhaps the most frustrating sequence for the Planets came in the second quarter.

Mars had momentum and possession while trailing 20-19 and had four cracks at taking the lead after getting three offensive rebounds, but couldn't convert.

The Planets never sniffed the lead again.

Mars shot just 32 percent from the floor (15-of-47), many of the missed shots coming from inside the paint.

Petruska said experience may have played a part in her team's struggles.

“We started two sophomores and a freshman,” Petruska said. “This was a great experience for the kids. We'll see what they're made out of next year.”

Senior Bella Pelaia was a bright spot for Mars.

The senior forward scored 16 points to lead the Planets.

“She's worked hard since her freshman year,” Petruska said. “Bella puts countless hours into the game.”

Moon will play No. 2 seed Woodland Hills Saturday in the second round.

Mars will have to regroup and focus on next season.

There's a lot to build around with starters Kaitlyn Pelaia, Ava Black, Olivia Donnelly and Alek Johnson returning.

“We'll pack it away and get ready to start again in a month or so,” Petruska said.

MARS 36

Alek Johnson 1-8 2-2 4, Ava Black 1-7 1-2 3, Kaitlyn Pelaia 2-4 0-0 4, Olivia Donnelly 3-8 0-0 7, Bella Pelaia 7-19 1-2 16, Carly Kern 0-0 0-0 0, Madeline Horvath 0-0 0-0 0, Kylee Fredericks 1-1 0-0 3. Totals: 15-47 4-6 36.

MOON 52

Aubree Evans 3-4 0-0 7, Emma Theodorrson 3-10 4-6 10, Briana Toal 0-3 0-0 0, Reilly Sunday 10-18 2-2 22, Cassie Depner 6-11 1-2 13, Sarah Santidola 0-0 0-0 0, Sofia Mancini 0-0 0-0 0. Totals: 22-46 7-10 52.

Mars 8 14 10 5 — 36

Moon12 12 16 12 — 52

3-point goals: Mars 3 (Donnelly, B. Pelaia, Fredericks); Moon 1 (Evans)