Rams Defeat Vikings 83-65

SALEM, Mass.  – Gwendolyn Carpenter (Ashley Falls, Mass.) led four Framingham State players in double digits, scoring 19 points with eight assists as the Rams defeated Salem State 83-65 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) game on Saturday at Twohig Gymnasium. Framingham State improves to 11-3 on the year and 3-0 in the MASCAC. The Vikings go to 3-11 and 1-2.  

Flannery O'Connor (Amesbury, Mass.) had a double-double for Framingham State with 15 points and 15 rebounds. Katty Haidul (Gilford, N.H.) had 16 points and seven boards while Camille Desrochers (Westford, Mass.) added 11 points for the Rams., which shot 33-73 (45.2%) from the field.

Liz Zaiter (Peabody, Mass.) topped Salem State with her second straight double-double with 16 points and 14 rebounds. Irianis Delgado (Lynn, Mass.) netted 16 points and corralled six rebounds while Gabby Torres (Peabody, Mass.) notched 12 points off the bench.

Framingham State built a 29-20 first quarter lead behind eight points from Carpenter, who was an efficient 3-for-4 from the field, including two three's. Salem State took an early 13-9 lead after a made basket by Julia Mattera (Arlington, Mass.), but back-to-back three-pointers by Carpenter gave the Rams a 19-15 lead as Framingham State ended the quarter on a 20-7 run.

The Rams shot 9-for-18 (50%) from the field in the second quarter, to open a 53-30 lead. The Vikings converted on just four field goal attempts in the second, scoring only four points over the first five minutes of the quarter. Desrochers gave Framingham State a 45-24 led at the 4:48 mark with her second three of the quarter. Two free throws by Carpenter pushed the Rams' lead to its largest of the game at 23 points. Framingham State dominated in the paint, outscoring the Vikings 26-10.  

The Rams grew their lead to 31 points with 7:06 remaining in the third after a made three by Carpenter. O'Connor scored 10 points in the quarter as Framingham State's defense limited the Vikings to just 5-of-21 (23.8%) shooting. The Rams maintained their comfortable lead throughout the fourth quarter, which reached 27 points after a three-pointer by Krystalee Fernandez (Ansonia, Conn.) before winning 83-65.