Fernandes Nets 1,000th Career Point in Salem State's 85-64 Loss to Emmanuel

BOSTON --  Senior center Kia Fernandes (Wareham, Mass.) scored her 1,000th career point on Saturday, tallying 16-points and seven rebounds in Salem State's 84-65 loss to Emmanuel College. Fernandes became the 20th women's basketball player to reach the milestone in Salem State's history. 

Both teams started slow as neither team was able to score through the first two and a half minutes of play until EC senior guard Maddie McLaughlin (Westerly, R.I) broke the scoreless streak with a shot behind the arc that started a 19-4 run through the first eight minutes of the game, led by freshman guard Molly deBettencourt's (Oak Bluffs, Mass.) nine point first quarter performance.

Salem State (1-6) closed the 15 point deficit through the final two minutes of the first quarter as Brianna Rodriguez (Salem, Mass.) and Tyra Scott (Methuen. Mass.) connected on field goals, and continued the offensive production through the beginning of the second quarter taking their first lead of the game from a shot from behind the arc by Courtney Paschal (Waltham, Mass.), 26-24.

The Vikings were able to accumulate a six point lead with one minute remaining in the half, but the Saints (4-1) were able to close the gap thanks to two made free throws by Yuleska Ramirez-Tejeda (Cambridge, Mass.) to go into half behind 36-32.

EC came out of the break in a full court press to stifle the Vikings offense as the Saints were able to take the lead 39-38 as junior forward Caitlin Cipriano (Waterbury, Conn.) took control in the paint to close out the quarter ahead 58-57.

Emmanuel continued to have the hot hand through the final quarter with McLaughlin shooting 3-4 from behind the arc and Jamad Fiin (Boston, Mass.) tallying as additional five fourth-quarter points to close out the victory for the Saints, 84-65.

The guard duo of Maddie McLaughlin (Westerly, R.I) and Molly deBettencourt (Oak Bluffs, Mass.) shot for a combined 10-17 from behind the arc for Emmanuel College.    

McLaughlin and Gianna Moschella (Peabody, Mass.) led all scorers as each player recorded 17 points for their respective teams.