The Marian-Nativity rivalry hasn’t been around as long as the Crusades.

But the two programs have battled, it seems, just as long, just as tense, and their games have been just as hard fought.

True to the rivalry, Thursday was another donnybrook — one that ended with the Fillies losing 35-34 in overtime.

For Marian, it was an all-too-familiar script — one horrendous quarter. Though it battled hard, and with passion, it just couldn’t overcome a third quarter when it failed to score a point. The Golden Girls, meanwhile, had high octane in their tank, and rallied from being down by 11 points.

It was a game of wills, but it was also a game that saw senior guard Emily Shaud pour in her 1,000th-career point when she opened the contest with a three-pointer.

However, it wasn’t going to be a night for Shaud’s four other senior teammates to remember. There was a little glory to spread around, including a miracle three-point shot by Macey Alansky that thrust the game into overtime.

In the end, however, it was a gritty performance for the winners. Nativity (17-5; 10-3) found a way to use a stingy third-quarter defense to lift its hopes, and rallied around the solid play of Tori Hunyara (11 points), Samantha Heenan and Kaitlyn Zemantauski.

“This is always a war,” said Nativity head coach Scott Forney. “We came in here expecting a battle. We got it, but we survived. I have to give credit for the way our defense stepped up in the second half … We shut them out in the (third) quarter and that just gave us a big boost.”

There was never any question that the Fillies (13-9, 9-4) would show up. They came out firing, and opened up a five-point first-quarter lead. A 6-1 run to start the second frame pushed the margin to 22-11, before the eventual winners scored the final four points of the half to cut the deficit to seven.

“I’m never going to doubt our kids the way they played with such heart all season,” said Marian mentor Paul Brutto. “We stumbled there in the (third), but we came back with a lot of pride. It was just one of those games when a shot here, or a turnover there, could have gone our way.”

The Golden Girls’ sudden surge late in the opening half carried into the third period. Madison Kramer scored the first basket of the period, and Zemanstuskie added a pair. Heenan followed with another field goal.

That set the stage for the fourth quarter.

Marian suddenly found its footing, and Julia Kreisl and Shaud both flung in triples for a 28-25 lead. But Nativity answered and went on top 31-28 with 13 second left to play. Alansky, however, let loose with a bomb that tied the score and forced overtime.

Shaud’s trey with 1:09 remaining in the extra session would prove to be her’s team final basket. The Golden Girls’ Kami Abdo came through, though, with the go-ahead score with 37 seconds left on the clock as she drove the lane for the eventual game-winner.

THE NUMBERS ... Schaud finished with 16 points and now has 1,013 in her career. Alansky added 13, while Kreisl was big on the board with 11 rebounds. Nativity’s Allison Clarke also collected 11 boards.

C’EST LA VIE … Five Fillies made their final appearance on the home floor: Shaud, Alansky, Kreisl, Alansky and Lindsay Reinoehl.

OFF FOR A WHILE … Marian will be idle until later this month when it competes in the District 11 Class 2A playoffs.

NATIVITY

Clarke 0-1-4-1, Quick 0-0-0-0, Hunyara 3-3-11-11, Zemantauski 3-0-2-6, Abdo 2-3-4-7, Kramer 1-0-0-2, Heenan 3-2-3-8. TOTALS: 12-9-24-35.

MARIAN

Kreisl 1-0-0-3, Shaud 5-2-2-16, A. Digris 0-0-0-0, Nemeth 0-0-0-0, Pleban 1-0-0-2, Alansky 5-0-0-13, Reinoehl 0-0-0-0. TOTALS: 12-2-2-34.

Nativity 10 5 8 8 4 - 35

Marian 15 7 0 9 3 - 34

Three-pointers: Nativity - Hunyara 2; Marian - Shaud 4, Alansky 3, Kreisl 1.