Vikings Defeat Lasers to Start the New Year

SALEM, Mass. – Salem State women's basketball kicked off the New Year with a commanding 64-43 victory over Lasell University, improving their record to 5-7 for the season.

Kylie Gates (Pembroke, Mass.) led all scorers with 17 points, adding four assists and four rebounds. Abuk Teng (Manchester, N.H.) and Liz Zaiter (Peabody, Mass.) contributed 14 and 11 points, respectively, while grabbing nine rebounds apiece for the Vikings.

For the Lasers, Juju Nealy recorded eight points, four assists, and four rebounds, with 10 other teammates each contributing at least one basket in the effort.

How it Happened:

• Zaiter took control in the first quarter, scoring nine points on 4-of-5 shooting, leading her team to a 13-7 advantage after the opening stanza.
• The Lasers started to close the gap in the second, cutting the deficit to just one point at the 6:35 mark following a jumper that made it 17-16. However, the Vikings would hold the lead and extend it to as much as 10 points with two minutes left in the half, before heading into the break with a 28-22 lead.
• Nealy began the third quarter with five straight points to pull the Lasers back within one at 28-27 but Teng responded with a 6-0 run of her own, extending the Vikings' lead to 36-27 with 4:17 remaining in the period. The Lasers remained in striking distance before a perfect trip to the free-throw line by Gates allowed the Vikings to take an 11-point lead heading into the final quarter.
• The Vikings were nearly perfect at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter, converting 11 of 12 attempts to seal the 64-43 victory over the Lasers.

How it Happened:

• The Vikings' starting five accounted for 61 of the team's 64 points.
• With 10 points in tonight's game, Nicolette D'Itira (Revere, Mass.) has now scored in double figures in each of her last two outings.

Up Next

The Vikings are back on the road this Saturday, January 4^th when they travel to Maine to take on Thomas College at 1p.m.