O'Keefe and Burns Lead Women's Basketball Past Salem State, 59-47

MASCAC Women's Basketball Tournament Bracket

Salem, MA --- Senior Meaghan O'Keefe (Warren, MA) and junior Meaghan Burns (W. Brookfield, MA) combined to score 39 points, to lead the Lancers to a hard-fought 59-47 road victory over Salem State Saturday afternoon at the O'Keefe Center.

The win clinched the second seed in the upcoming MASCAC Tournament, and ensured a first-round bye for Worcester State (13-12, 9-3).

The Vikings, who had won two of three coming in, fell to 11-14, 4-8. Salem State drew the sixth seed and will play Westfield State in a quarterfinal game on Tuesday night.

The Lancers led for almost the entire game, but the first half was nip-and-tuck at the beginning.

Second-year Rachael Carter (Merrimack, NH) scored on a lay-in to cap a mini 5-0 spurt and bring the Vikings to within one, 19-18 with seven minutes remaining.

However, Worcester State responded and O'Keefe scored six points in an 8-0 run that pushed the lead to nine with 2:53 left in the half.

The Lancers led 29-21 at the intermission. 

In the second half, senior Sandra Lanier (Groton, MA) hit an early jumper, and the Vikings were back within six, 29-23.

But O'Keefe converted a three-point play and Burns scored another hoop, giving Worcester State its largest lead, 36-25 less than four minutes in to the second stanza.

The Vikings fought back with a 9-0 run of their own. Junior Ashley White (Salem, MA) buried a jumper, followed by a long three from classmate Laura Bruni (Gloucester, MA).

Third-year Ginny Fleming (Peabody, MA) and senior Bridget Dullea (Peabody, MA) completed the skien, bringing Salem State to within two, 36-34, as the Vikings held the Lancers scoreless for more than four minutes. 

Freshman Kiesha Jones (Worcester, MA) restored order for the Lancers with a three and O'Keefe was just too much for Salem State to handle inside, scoring three hoops over the next four minutes and bringing the lead back to 11 with 8:32 remaining (49-38).

The Vikings did not get any closer than eight the rest of the way, as the Lancers completed a sweep of the season series.

O'Keefe was dominant, scoring 25 points on 11-of-20 shooting and with 400 points, she has the fifth-most points in a single-season. 

She also grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds. Burns added 14 points on 7-12 from the field while adding eight boards and three blocks.

First-year Natasha Gonzalez (Milford, MA) added a spark off the bench, handing out a game-high five assists as the Lancers had 18 assists on 23 baskets.

Dullea led Salem State with 14 points and seven rebounds in 38 minutes while Fleming chipped in with 13 points and seven boards. Carter also had four assists for the hosts.

The Vikings open play in the MASCAC Tournament at Westfield State on Tuesday night at 7 p.m. The Owls beat the Vikings twice this season. Worcester State await its next opponent and will host a semifinal game on Thursday.

Full Release Courtesy of Salem State Sports Information