Clark Uses Strong Fourth Quarter to Defeat Salem State 78-70

Worcester, Mass. -- Hannah Favaloro scored 22 points and Ginny Benbow added 20 as Clark broke open a close game in the fourth quarter to win 78-70 over Salem State on Tuesday evening at Kneller Gymnasium. The Cougars go to 5-3 while the Vikings slide to 1-6.

Liz Zaiter topped Salem State with 17 points while Irianis Delgado netted 16 points and grabbed a game-high 14 rebounds. Gabby Torres scored 16 points for the Vikings. Kylie Gates had a strong game contributing six points to go with seven rebounds, nine assists and five steals. 

Salem State controlled the tempo early, building an 18-12 first quarter lead behind six points from Zaiter. A Torres three with 5:07 left in the second gave the Vikings its largest margin, 29-18, holding Clark to just two field goals. The Cougars drew to within five points before Salem State settled for a 36-28 halftime lead.  

Clark pulled within five at 41-36 with 6:04 remaining in the third with buckets from first-year Megan Swedberg and Benbow before continuing its 13-0 run with six points from Benbow and a Hallie Johnson, three to take a 43-41 advantage. Trailing 52-48 in the third, Salem State's Zaiter added a bucket, before back-to-back scores by Delgado gave the Vikings a 54-52 lead with thirty-seven seconds left. Three free throws by Gates extended the margin to 57-52 at the end of the third.  

A layup by Torres pushed the Vikings lead to seven, but Cam Richey, Favaloro and Benbow each scored to pull Clark within one at 59-58 with 6:50 remaining. 

The Cougars, took advantage of poor shooting by the Vikings in the fourth, who were 5-for-20 (25.0%) from the field, scoring the games next seven points sparked by a pair of Julia Beebe layups to take a 70-62 lead with 3:41 remaining. Salem State could not draw any closer as Clark closed out the game from the free throw line.