Vikings Fly By Falcons

FITCHBURG, Mass. – Salem State women's basketball traveled to Fitchburg, Massachusetts to take on the Falcons from Fitchburg State University for a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) bout, where the Vikings improved to 3-1 in conference play after a 77-60 victory over the Falcons.

All five Vikings starters notched double-figures with Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, Mass.) , Liz Zaiter (Peabody, Mass.) and Abuk Teng (Manchester, N.H.) all recorded double-doubles in the victory.  

For the Falcons, Rylie Harlow scored 18 points to go with nine rebounds while Kaelynn Tanner added 15 points in the effort.

How it Happened:

• After losing the lead at the 8:14 mark in the first, the Vikings responded with 13 unanswered points to regain a 17-6 lead. They would maintain control, stretching their advantage to as many as 11 points before heading into the second quarter up, 21-14.
• A layup from Teng pushed the Vikings' lead to 19 points, but a three-pointer from Harlow on the other end slowed the momentum, making it a 34-18 game with 3:46 left in the half. The Falcons started to claw their way back, but a layup from Goncalves in the closing seconds restored the Vikings' double-digit lead, 36-26, heading into halftime.
• The Vikings continued to expand their lead in the third, with Teng and Goncalves combining for 10 of the Vikings' first 13 points, putting them up 49-30 with 6:21 to go in the frame. Jaylen Nieves extended the lead to 23 at the 2:23 mark, to help her Vikings to the 58-43 lead into the final quarter.
• The Vikings kept up their dominance in the fourth quarter, with six players scoring and eight players contributing a positive statistic, guiding them to a 77-60 victory over the Falcons.

Inside the Numbers:

• With four assists this afternoon, Kylie Gates surpassed the 500-assist mark in her career in a Viking uniform, bringing her total to 502, ranking her third in program history.
• Ernidia Goncalves recorded an 18-point, 17-rebound double-double. Liz Zaiter added a 10-point, 15-rebound double-double, while Abuk Teng notched a 16-point, 12-rebound double-double.

Up Next

The Vikings are back at home this Wednesday, January 29th, as they host the Owls from Westfield State University at Twohig Gymnasium, with a 7 p.m. tip-off.