It's always important to start the season off on a high note, particularly playing in your own division.

It looks as if the Salisbury girls' basketball certainly got that memo.

Under the guidance of Meagan Eripret, a Colonial League First Team All-Star in 2013, the Falcons have raced out to a perfect mark in league play with victories over Palisades and Saucon Valley last week.

Eripret tallied a team-high 18 points, 10 rebounds and five blocks to help the Falcons secure a 41-35 victory over Palisades to open their conference schedule. She then scored 23 points the following day in a 57-32 win against Saucon Valley.

"I think we'll get better because we have so much inexperience," head coach Joe Mladosich said after the win over the Pirates on Thursday. "This was a big game to play early."

The opening eight minutes of the Colonial League season couldn't have gone much better for the Falcons.

Against the Pirates at Salisbury High School, the Falcons raced out to a 13-0 lead and led 16-4 after the first quarter. The Falcons held that double-digit lead for much of the second period and took a 26-14 lead into halftime.

"I think it's a good boost for our confidence to be ready and to come out winning," Eripret said. "That feels really good. It helps us get into momentum and be ready to go for the rest of the game."

The Pirates, who got a combined 10 points in the fourth quarter from Joey Noonan and Karlee Krchnavi, managed to get to within four points after going on a 9-3 run to open the quarter.

After trading baskets, keeping the Pirates within just two points, Eripret collected the final two of her game-high 18 points with a rebound and put back shot that put the Falcons ahead 39-35 with 1:01 to play. The Pirates never held a lead in the game.

"They played pretty well," Mladosich said. "We got a little rattled in the second half with all the pressure. But they hung in there and won. I have a lot more confidence in them sometimes than they have in themselves."

Kelly Garrigan added eight points and eight rebounds for the Falcons.

Noonan and Krchnvai each finished with 13 points for the Pirates.

Mladosich and the Falcons understand that Eripret is capable of scoring. She averaged 18.1 points per game last season, and is above that pace this season through two league matches.

The play of the Falcons' guards, particularly Amanda Rowlands, Lindsay Bauer and Kelly Gonoude, figured to be a main piece of the puzzle going into the season. The combination of those three has helped through the first two games.

Gonoude tallied nine points against the Pirates (including seven in the first quarter) and 11 against the Panthers, while Bauer added 13 against Saucon Valley.

"Last year we didn't have a whole lot of balanced scoring," Eripret said. "And this year, we have everyone scoring. It's new for us, but it's working a lot better."

Salisbury was scheduled to play Notre Dame (Green Pond) Tuesday evening, after Press deadline. The Falcons will host Wilson on Friday at 7 p.m.