An early deficit proved too much for the Lady Hawks Friday night.

After hitting an early scoring drought, Waltham girls' varsity basketball (1-7, 1-5) fell 62-33 to Lincoln-Sudbury High School (5-3, 4-2) at home.

“Lincoln-Sudbury is a very well-rounded and well-coached team,” Waltham head coach Denise Nugent said. “In spurts, we kept up with them pretty well and I am proud of our effort.”

The Warriors' starters opened with a 12-point run which created a lead they would hold onto all game. A three-point jumper and a layup by Warriors sophomore Ashley Lutz helped finish off the drive for L-S.

“I felt like things were going well with the starters,” L-S head coach Liza Feldman said. “Until people needed a break or I felt like I saw something I did not like, I was going to stay with what was working. We were playing well on defense and I liked the way we were moving the ball around on offense.”

The Hawks shot 12 percent in the first quarter, with one shot coming outside the paint, and were unable to create points for the first seven minutes of the game. Two inside-the-rim misses off turnaround jumpers by seniors Sandy Metellus and Nadia Kern looked near opportunities to end the drought.

It would be three more minutes before a pair of last minute forced free throws by Kern broke the rout.

“We were looking so hard for our shots and they did not seem to fall for us,” said Nugent. “We were left looking to the basketball gods as to why there were these lids on the baskets for us.”

With the Warriors' lead steadily increasing all game, a mid- fourth quarter three by Kern looked to halt the spreading deficit. Despite seven points, three rebounds and two steal in the fourth quarter, Kern was unable to get her team back in the game.

The senior captain lead the game in scoring with 17 points.

“She is talented and skillful, but the best part about her is that she is a great leader and a real team player,” said Nugent. “No matter the situation she is going to go out their and give it the best she has got.”

A step-back top-corner three and a deep back-corner two by Ashley Lutz, helped the Warriors pull ahead 53-23 midway through the final quarter. Ashley Lutz lead her team in scoring with 14 points.

“Our guards did a really good job of passing the ball around and looking for the open players,” said Ashley Lutz. “All the girls can make their shots, so if your open you take it.”

With eight different players scoring in the game, the Warriors managed to rotate the ball around the Hawks zone and pick the right lanes and underneath passes to help them maintain a 25-12 lead at half. Junior Meghan Lutz scored 11 total points for L-S, including three points off pivoted lane drives late in the half.

“I think we had a few lulls where we were just passing the ball around the perimeter,” Feldman said. “Our offense is designed to move the ball and get cutters. I think our big players are starting to step up inside and that is giving us confidence.”

Five points of forced free throws helped the Hawks keep close throughout the second quarter. In the end, foul shots proved not enough for Waltham as they shot 55.55 percent off 18 attempts.

“You have to try to get to the lane and capitalize on that,” Nugent said. “Unfortunately we missed more than we should have or usually do.”

A complete second half press by the Hawks was unable to stop the Warriors or guard Katelyn Wright. The senior had six assists in the second half, including two breakaway layups by senior teammate Ali Murray.

Wright had only one throwaway for a turnover.

“The press was designed to slow us down a little bit,” Feldman said. “We did a good job of not letting it. In fact it kind of picked up the tempo and we were able to get some easy baskets in transition.”

L-S will hope to continue its success when it travels to play undefeated Acton-Boxborough on Tuesday. Waltham can bounce back when it hosts Boston-Latin (1-5, 2-7) also on Tuesday.