Colchester — The next time New London High School girls' basketball coach Holly Misto uses the words "grind it out" won't be the first this season. Maybe the 31st.

And she's right, the latest example coming Tuesday night with the Whalers' 39-34 victory over Bacon Academy. New London was ranked second in the state in the most recent GameTimeCT/New Haven Register Top 10, Bacon Academy ninth.

New London is 7-0.

But where do the Whalers, with sophomores and juniors all around, get the temerity to hold off some of the state's finest teams night in and night out?

So far there's been defending Class M state champion Cromwell, Class M runner-up Notre Dame of Fairfield, Southern Connecticut Conference champ Hand, Eastern Connecticut Conference tournament winner Norwich Free Academy.

And now Bacon.

"We're just looking forward to the goal, which is Mohegan Sun," said New London senior center India Pagan, referencing the site of Connecticut's boys' and girls' basketball state championship games, where the Whalers finished last year as Class L runners-up to Hartford Capital. "We need to win to get to Mohegan Sun.

"We know we need tough games to help us get prepared for states (Class LL this season). We know we have a target on our back. ... We pulled through."

Xaryia Melendez led New London with 12 points, six rebounds and two steals, while Jada Lucas finished with nine points, four assists and three steals and Pagan overcame foul trouble in the first half to finish with 10 rebounds and two assists. Rosalee Nicholson added three steals.

Bacon, which took a 30-29 lead with 1 minute, 37 seconds to play in the third quarter on a drive by Jocelyn Luizzi, shot 2-for-17 in the fourth quarter, sinking its chances. It was the second straight loss to an unbeaten team for Bacon (5-2), following an overtime defeat last Friday against No. 4 Enfield.

"That was definitely grinding it out," Misto said. "... We're coming off a break. It was the first day back at school. We'll take it. It's a W.

"They're hard-working kids and they have heart."

New London scored the last five points of the first quarter, taking a 10-9 lead on a follow-up by Melendez with 33 seconds remaining. The lead flipped twice to start the second quarter, with the Whalers again taking the lead on a free throw by Melendez, a basket by Lucas and two free throws by Nicholson that made it 16-11.

Bacon, down 23-19 at halftime, tied it at 25-25 on a 3-pointer by the MIT-bound Luizzi with 4:50 to go in the third. Bacon led 30-29 on Luizzi's basket before Pagan made a runner in the lane, connecting on a line drive to the basket, to make it 31-30 New London.

The Whalers then showed their grit. They scored the first five points of the fourth quarter on a turnaround by Melendez, a drive by Lucas and a free throw by Melendez.

New London tried to take some time off the clock following a Bacon timeout with 3:20 to play and didn't do so well, turning the ball over and resulting in a Bobcats basket to pull within 36-32. Still, the Whalers dug deep.

The game was a rematch of last year's Class L semifinal game between Bacon and New London, also won by New London.

"We have a lot of respect for them," Misto said of Bacon. "I'm glad we have tough games. This makes us better."

"We played OK defense, but we struggled on offense," Bacon coach Dave Shea said. "... They dropped back in their zone (in the second half) and we didn't have anyone who wanted to take the shots. We've just got to turn the page (from the last two games), but I'm happy with the effort that the kids are putting in."

Luizzi finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and four steals for Bacon.

v.fulkerson@theday.com