HOLLY SPRINGS - A day removed from their first loss to a Triangle-area opponent since 2009, the Green Hope girls basketball team made sure that another long streak did not come to an end. The Lady Falcons won their 40th straight conference game, defeating Holly Springs 51-44 in a close Tuesday night contest.

In order to take a win on the Golden Hawks' home court, Green Hope needed a 180 in performance from their Monday night's 55-52 loss to Sanderson. After a team meeting, that's just what the Falcons got.

"We talked it out and dug down deep," said Green Hope senior forward Sidney Durand. "Last night was a learning experience. We all took it to heart and came right back."

Senior Kristen Gaffney, who scored just five points against Sanderson and spent most of the second half on the bench, was benched for the first quarter against the Hawks. She entered the game at the start of the second quarter with her team down 10-8.

Gaffney's first four shots didn't fall, but the senior's efforts were rewarded more and more as the game went along. Gaffney ended the night with 18 points and 15 rebounds. In the third quarter, she eclipsed the 2,000-point mark in her career without much fanfare as she knocked down a pair of free throws. She is the third player in Wake County history to reach that mark.

"From last night, it was a 180-degree turnaround," Green Hope coach Michael Robinson said. "The girls responded well (to the team meeting). They came out and were enthusiastic and played well."

Holly Springs' defensive efforts kept the game low-scoring throughout the first half. Senior Linnea Hoops tied the score at 19 apiece as the first-half buzzer sounded, banking in a shot from beyond midcourt.

Led by Melissa Bridges, Durand, Gaffney and Ashley Williams -- who had a game-high 20 points -- the Falcons raced out to a 13-0 run to open the second half.

"(The team) stayed with it in the first quarter without me. That was really good and I'm proud of them for doing that," Gaffney said. "When I came back in we got into the rhythm of things and we just started getting going. We got on a bunch of big runs and that just really killed (Holly Springs) in the third quarter."

Holly Springs chipped their way into that lead, powered by sophomore Kiara Leslie's all-around game. The 6-foot-1 point forward had 16 points, 15 rebounds and four blocks on the night, and the Hawks cut the lead to two points on four different occasions in the fourth quarter.

But poor free-throw shooting prevented the Hawks from tying or taking the lead. Holly Springs went 5-for-15 from the charity stripe.

"If we had hit our layups and free throws, the outcome would've been different. I think that's what frustrates me the most," said first-year Holly Springs coach Richard Young.