Vikings Soar Past Owls, 71-57

SALEM, Mass. – Salem State women's basketball hosted Westfield State University tonight in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup. The Vikings used a dominant defensive performance in the third quarter, holding the Owls to just seven points, to help them to the 71-57 victory. With the win, Salem State improved to 10-9 overall and 4-1 in MASCAC play, while Westfield State dropped to 11-7 overall and 3-2 in the conference.

Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, Mass.) delivered another dominant performance, recording a double-double with 18 points and 19 rebounds. Kylie Gates (Pembroke, Mass.) added 17 points, while Abuk Teng (Manchester, N.H.) contributed 12 points.

Jordan Grant had a standout performance for the Owls, filling the stat sheet with 16 points, seven steals, six rebounds, three blocks, and three assists while teammate, Maddie Pond  added 15 points in the effort.

How it Happened:

• The Vikings took a slim 18-15 lead after the opening frame, with ten of their 18 points coming from the free-throw line. Their largest of the first lead came after Gates went a perfect 4-for-4 from the line, giving Salem State a double-digit advantage at 15-5.
• The Owls responded in the second quarter with 14 unanswered points to take a 35-25 lead before a Kylie Schrock (Rockport, Mass.) layup stopped the Owls' run at the 2:28 mark. Salem would go on to score the only five points of the remainder of the half, narrowing the gap to 35-32 at the break.
• Just over two minutes into the third quarter, the Vikings went on a 15-0 run, fueled by seven points from Liz Zaiter (Peabody, Mass.), to take a 50-39 lead with 2:28 remaining in the stanza. An Owl three-pointer briefly halted their momentum, before Salem took the game into the final quarter with the 54-42 edge.
• With 3:02 remaining in the game, Maddie Pond sparked a 5-0 run to pull the Owls within six points., 61-55. However, the Vikings quickly responded with back-to-back layups to restore their double-digit lead. The Vikings then sealed the victory at the free-throw line, hitting all six of their attempts in the final minutes to secure a 71-57 win over the Owls.

Inside the Numbers:

• Tonight's 71-57 victory over the Owls marks the Vikings' first win against Westfield State since 2014.
• Ernidia Goncalves has now recorded a double-double in her last seven games, bringing her total to 14 on the season.
• Freshman Kylie Schrock set a career-high with six points for the Vikings.
  
  

Up Next:

The Vikings remain at home this Saturday, February 1^st as they welcome the Bears from Bridgewater State University to Twohig Gymnasium for a 2p.m. tip.