Women’s Basketball Setback by Salem State 65-57 in MASCAC Opener

WORCESTER, Mass. – Despite three ties in the fourth quarter, Salem State came out on top defeating the Lancers of Worcester State by a score of 65-57 Saturday afternoon in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) opener.

THE BASICS

January 6, 2018

Lancer Gymnasium

Score: Salem State 65, Worcester State 57

Records: Salem State (5-8, 1-0 MASCAC) | Worcester State (6-6, 0-1 MASCAC)

1^ST QUARTER

After almost two minutes of a nil score, Salem State reached the scoreboard first on an and-one from Kia Fernandes (Wareham, Mass.). Following baskets from Worcester's Kaitlyn Berkel (Waterford, Conn.) and Salem's Tyra Scott (Methuen, Mass.), Worcester State knotted the score at 5-5 on a triple from Sam Maglione (Lancaster, Mass.). Salem State then went on an 8-2 run to make it a 6-point game. Maglione launched another triple and Emily Carens (Northborough, Mass.) made a layup with a minute and a half to go in the frame to make it a 1-point game. However, the Vikings ended the quarter with five points from Scott to trail by five succeeding a Britt Herring (West Brookfield, Mass.) freebie.

2^ND QUARTER

Salem State extended its lead to nine in the first minute of play as Fernandes sunk a pair of free throw shots and Gianna Moschella (Peabody, Mass.) put up a second-chance basket for a 22-13 score. With 6:37 on the clock, Worcester State closed the gap as Herring put up three points on an and-one and Catherine Sweeney (Lowell, Mass.) made a layup, leaving the Lancers just three points behind the Vikings. Another and-one from Herring at the end of the quarter made it a 1-points game, with a 29-28 score going into the halftime.  

3^RD QUARTER

Salem State added five points to the board out of the locker room, but Worcester managed to stay within reason as Herring and Sweeney came back with baskets to stay within two. The Lancers allowed the Vikings to gain as big as a six point lead with 2:01 on the clock, but came back with a Berkel layup and a Maglione long ball to set the score at 46-45 in favor of Salem State.

4^TH QUARTER

The Vikings were ahead by two at the start of the fourth quarter, and it wasn't long until Worcester State knotted the score at 48-48 on a layup seven seconds in. Salem took back the lead with a free throw shot, until Worcester State's Brianna Hackett (Hollis, N.H.) gave the Lancers their first lead of the game with a jumper two minutes into the stanza. Berkel added to the Lancers lead with a layup two minutes later. Worcester held the lead for another two minutes until Moschella tied the score at 53-53 with four minutes to go. The game saw another tie at 57-57 with 1:34 on the clock succeeding a Fernandes 3-point shot. Salem State used a Worcester timeout to regain thoughts and come out strong to pull through to a 65-57 win, scoring eight consecutive points to conclude the game.

COUNT ME IN

• Worcester State saw double-doubles from both Berkel and Herring. Berkel posted 15 points with 10 rebounds and a block, while Herring had a game-high 17 points with 11 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists.
• Sweeney recorded eight points and a game-high 13 rebounds with four assists and four steals in the setback.
• Rookie Maglione totaled 11 points on three 3's and a layup in the fourth quarter.
• The Vikings' offense was led by Scott who marked a contest-high 17 points.
• Brianna Rodriguez (Salem, Mass.) and Norma Waggett (Saugus, Mass.) also scored double digits with 11 and 10 points, respectively. Rodrigues notched a team-high six assists and four steals in the win.
• Fernandes and Moschella chipped in nine points each. Saran Kaba (Dorchester, Mass.) collected seven points. Ferndandes and Kaba led the team in rebounds with seven each.
• Salem State shot 36.7% from the field, while Worcester State shot 33.3%.
• Each team shot 18% from 3-points range.
• Worcester State outrebounded the Vikings 53-39.
• The Vikings caused 20 Lancer turnovers, which turned into 17 points for Salem State.
• The game saw four ties (three in the fourth quarter) and two lead changes.

UP NEXT

Next up, Worcester State hosts Tufts in its 10^th annual "Math Madness" game on Monday, Jan. 8 at 12 noon inside the Lancer Gymnasium. Salem State resumes play on Wednesday, Jan. 10 when they host Fitchburg State in a 5:30 p.m. MASCAC game.

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