Vikings Sink Scots, 75-67

WENHAM, Mass. – Salem State women's basketball found themselves back in the win column tonight after they defeated cross-town rival, Gordon College, 75-67.

For the Vikings, Nicolette D'Itria (Revere, Mass.) netted a career-high 20 points to go along with seven helpers and seven assists while Abuk Teng (Manchester, N.H.) recorded an impressive 17-point, 15- rebound double-double in the victory. Additionally, Kylie Gates (Pembroke, Mass.) and Jaylen Nieves (Chicopee, Mass.) added 14 and 13 points.

The Scots were paced by Ami Rivera (Concord, N.H.) who led the way with 17 points, seven rebounds, and four assists while Olivia Brown (Longmeadow, Mass.) chipped in with 16 points off the bench in the effort.

Salem State sophomore, Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, Mass.), notched the first basket of the game before the Rivera sisters went on an 8-0 run, to give Gordon the early 8-2 edge. The Scots would hold the slight advantage for the remaining six minutes before Gates tied the game at the charity stripe, sending the game into the second quarter at a 14-point stalemate.

The majority of the second quarter saw back and forth action before Gordon was able to surmount a run and score seven unanswered points to take the 27-21 lead with 1:55 to play in the half. Gates would stop the bleeding shortly after with a perfect trip to the line, but the Scots closed the half on a 5-0 run to take the 32-23 lead heading into the break.

After trading baskets for the opening two minutes of the half the Vikings finally found their footing and exploded on 13-2 run, spearheaded by six D'Itria points, to take the 39-38 lead with 4:33 left in the third quarter. Shortly after, Brown would nail a three to put Gordon ahead by two (41-39), but the Vikings would close out the quarter on a 13-7 run to hold the 52-48 advantage heading into the final ten minutes of play.

After back-to-back layups by D'Itria and Gates, the Vikings would find themselves ahead 12, their largest lead thus far, before a foul on their defensive end halted their run. With just under five minutes to play the Scots would cut the Viking's lead to seven points, but Salem would remain poised over the final three minutes and widen their gap to as many as twelve points before taking the eventual 75-67 victory on the road.