Vikings Fall in North Shore Battle

SALEM, Mass. – Salem State women's basketball concluded their fall semester schedule this afternoon with a quick trip over to Endicott College, where the North Shore foe took the 72-64 victory over the Vikings.

Abuk Teng (Manchester, N.H.) led the Vikings with 15 points and six rebounds, while Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, Mass.) registered another double-double, contributing 11 points and 16 rebounds.

For the Gulls, Cora Nadeau and Libby Fleming each scored 17 points, while Emma Shinney added 15 points, seven rebounds, and three assists to help secure the victory.

How it Happened:

• Maria Orfanos (Lynn, Mass.) scored four points off the bench to help keep the Vikings within a one-possession game, 14-11, after the first quarter.
• With just over three minutes into the second quarter, a layup from Teng gave the Vikings a 19-17 lead, but eight unanswered points from the Gulls allowed them to regain the lead. Salem briefly cut the deficit to three points with just under three minutes remaining, but the Gulls extended their lead to 37-29 heading into the break.
• Nadeau hit four three-pointers in the third quarter, helping Endicott extend their lead to 53-42 heading into the final 10 minutes of play.
• The Vikings cut the deficit to single digits five times in the fourth, getting as close as four points after a perfect trip to the free-throw line by Orfanos made it a 60-56 game with 3:54 remaining. However, that would be as close as Salem would get, as the Gulls held on for a 72-64 victory.

Inside the Numbers:

• Nicolette D'Itira (Revere, Mass.) scored a season high 13 points in the effort.
• The Vikings are heading into the winter break with a 4-7 record.

Up Next:
The Vikings will have a break until after the New Year, when they return to Twohig Gymnasium for a 5 p.m. matchup against Lasell University on Thursday, January 2^nd.