Vikings Outlast Blue to Take 58-55 Victory

WELLESLEY, Mass. – Salem State women's basketball kicked off their three-game week tonight with a trip to Wellesley College to take on the Blue, where the Vikings survived a late push to secure the 58-55 victory and improve to 4-5 on the season.

Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, Mass.) led the Vikings with a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double, while Abuk Teng (Manchester, N.H.) contributed 12 points and seven rebounds in the victory.

For the Blue, Trinity Barrow posted a game-high 18 points, and Caitlin Windross added 14 points and eight rebounds in the effort.

How it Happened:

• The Vikings forced nine turnovers in the opening quarter to keep the Blue's offense at bay and take the 14-8 lead after the first frame.
• After a layup from D'Itria put her team up 20-16, the game remained scoreless until a layup from the Blue made it a one-possession game with 3:10 remaining in the half. The Vikings built a seven-point advantage twice in the final two minutes of the half, thanks to a three-pointer from Teng and a last-second shot from Goncalves, giving them a 29-22 lead at the break.
• Jaylen Nieves (Chicopee, Mass.) put her team up by 17 with a perfect trip to the charity stripe at the 2:30 mark, before the Blue held the Vikings scoreless to close the third quarter, cutting their deficit to ten points (44-34) heading into the final stanza.
• The Blue scored the first five points of the fourth quarter before Teng stopped their momentum with a layup, making it a 46-39 game with 5:52 remaining.
• Over a two-minute span, the Blue went on a 9-2 run, closing to within one point of the Vikings. However, a three-pointer from Kylie Gates (Pembroke, Mass.) put the Vikings back up 55-51 with under two minutes to play.
• The Blue tied the game at 55 with 1:09 to play, but Goncalves hit three of four free throws to seal the Vikings' 58-55 victory in the closing minute.

Inside the Numbers:

• Ernidia Goncalves recorded her fifth double-double of the season in tonight's win.
• With tonight's win, the Vikings are now 2-0 against the Blue. This matchup also marks the first meeting between the two teams since their initial encounter during the 1999-2000 season.

Up Next:

Salem State women's basketball will play their final home game of 2024 this Thursday, December 12th, hosting nationally ranked Bowdoin College at 7 p.m.