Women's Basketball Opens Season Over Elms, 70-64

THE BASICS 
Salem State, 70 vs. Elms, 64

Records: 
Elms College Blazers (0-3)
Salem State University Vikings (1-0)

Location: Salem, Mass.-Twohig Gymnasium

Date: Wednesday, November 12, 2025

THE LEAD—  The Salem State women's basketball team opened its 2025-26 season with a 70-64 win over Elms College on Wednesday evening at Twohig Gymnasium.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Early in the first, after a Maria Orfanos (Lynn, Mass.) layup pulled Salem within two (8-6), Elms utilized a 7-0 run to storm ahead 15-6 with 3:21 left in the first. However, Salem continued to hang around and closed out the quarter on a 9-2 run and made it 17-15 at the end of the frame. 
• During the second quarter, the Vikings gave themselves breathing room and went up six (24-18) thanks to a 9-1 surge. Kylie Schrock (Rockport, Mass.) led the scoring run with three points. Elms continued to hang around, and with 2:40 left until halftime, the Blazers evened things at 27 courtesy of a 9-3 run. Neither side let the other pull away the rest of the way, and at the buzzer, Lamia Ashley (Norwalk, Conn.) hit a layup that gave Salme a 35-32 lead at the break.
• Coming out of the break, the Vikes jumped out to a seven-point lead (42-35) after an Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, Mass.) layup, which led to an Elms timeout. After the timeout, Salem's offense continued where it left off and grabbed its largest lead of the quarter (51-42) when Shakera Fullenwilder (Phenix City, Ala.) converted a layup, which forced another Blazers timeout.
• After the break, Elms pulled within six (53-47) thanks to a pair of Tatiana Pereira free throws, but the Vikings pushed their lead back to nine before the end of the quarter when Sunali Carter (Brockton, Mass.) knocked down a three and the squad took the 56-47 lead into the final quarter.
• In the fourth, after an Ashley layup made it 58-49 with 8:57 remaining, Elms's offense picked up the tempo and pulled within four (60-56) behind a 6-2 rally. Salem could not find separation, and once again, the visitors stayed within four (64-60), thanks to a Sanaii Diaz layup, which led to a Salem timeout with 2:15 left to play.
• Despite the late rally from Elms, the Vikings outscored the Blazers the rest of the way, 6-4, and ultimately held on for the 70-64 victory.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Carter and Schrock led the Vikings offense with 14 points apiece.
• Off the bench, Fullenwilder was a perfect 5-5 shooting to finish with 11 points in her Salem debut. 
• On the glass, Carter led the way with a game-high nine boards.
• Mary Turco led the Elms offense with a game-high 18 points. She also led the Blazers with eight rebounds.

UP NEXT

• Salem continues its four-game homestand when the squad hosts Regis College on Saturday, November 15, at noon.