“In four years of coaching, this one was the hardest to swallow of all them,” said Shoaf. “We’re a better team than this and we should be winning games like this.”

But just as it did Friday in a disheartening loss to Lexington, Salisbury allowed the game to get away. The Hornets could and should be 2-1 in the CCC right now, with their sights clearly set on fourth place in the league and a spot in the 2A state playoffs. Instead, they are staring at an 0-3 mark and occupy the bottom rung on the CCC ladder.

“What’s so frustrating is that we’re so close to being so good,” said Shoaf. “But once again tonight we didn’t do what we had set up to do. If you try and fail, that’s one thing. But at times, we didn’t even attempt to execute.”

Shoaf’s misery stemmed from the fact that the Hornets (2-12 overall), even without flu-ridden starter Jen Reilly, were clearly the superior team most of the game.

With guard KeKe Chunn blowing past defenders for pointblank shots, Salisbury roared out to a 15-4 lead. Then Sherree Gillespie, who had 14 first-half points, got going inside. The Hornets dominated the backboards, forced 17 turnovers and cruised into halftime with a 29-21 advantage.

Things started to turn in the third quarter when East coach Greg Fowler’ opted to press the Hornets.

“That got us moving some,” said Fowler. “It got us some turnovers and we finally got some easy baskets.”

Meanwhile, the Hornets went cold, shooting 3-for-19 in a dismal third quarter.

A 14-5 burst by East, capped by a three-point play by Melanie Barton briefly put the Golden Eagles ahead 35-34, but Salisbury answered with a Crystal Taylor free throw and a buzzer-beating steal and layup by Ternisha Charleston for a 37-35 lead at the end of the quarter.

The Hornets took control again early in the fourth quarter. When Gillespie, who had been limping late in the third, drove hard for a layup, Salisbury went back on top 47-39 and appeared to be home free with under four minutes to play.

But suddenly the Hornets couldn’t do anything right and East scored the game’s next 10 points. Vive Campbell got back-to-back layups to tie the game and pushed her team in front 49-47 with 2:30 remaining.

Chunn re-tied the game with a short jumper at 2:22, but East (5-9, 1-2) simply outexecuted the Hornets down the stretch.

The key sequence came with 35 seconds left and the Eagles clinging to a 53-51 lead. Barton was fouled and made her first shot for a three-point lead. She missed the second free throw, but the Hornets failed to claim the rebound. Barton wound up with an uncontested layup and East led 56-51 with 26 seconds remaining.

Tiffany Robinson converted an offensive rebound and Chunn made two free throws to pull the Hornets within 57-55 with six seconds left, but Campbell made the second of two free throws for a three-point lead.

Then Chunn’s hurried attempt at a tying 3 at the buzzer clanged off the rim to seal the Hornets’ fate and put the final touch on a determined comeback by the Eagles.

“One thing about our girls is that they haven’t quit on me yet,” said a pleased Fowler. “This is the third game we’ve won like this.”

Shoaf on the other hand, had little to be pleased about, despite 20 points and 13 boards by Gillespie and 19 points by Chunn, the second best scoring game of her career.

“You’d like to say that not having Reilly made the difference,” said Shoaf. “But really it just came down to us not being able to make a lot of easy shots.”

SALISBURY (55) — Chunn 19, Taylor 1, Charleston 10, Robinson 5, Gillespie 20, Edwards, Bauk, Atkinson, Wingerson.

E.DAVIDSON (58) — Palmore, Fredette 5, Honeycutt 15, Barton 8, Beck 16, Michael, Sprinkle, Nance 4, Campbell 8, Fleming 2.