Salem State Wins Third Straight

SALEM, Mass. --  Liz Zaiter (Peabody, Mass.) scored 23 points and Irianis Delgado (Lynn, Mass.) added 17 as Salem State dominated MCLA 86-43 on Saturday afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action at Twohig Gymnasium. The Vikings improve to 6-16 and 4-7 in the MASCAC. The Trailblazers slide to 1-19 and 1-8 in conference.

Salem State honored seniors Julia Mattera (Arlington, Mass.) and Katie Wallace (Peabody, Mass.) in a pre-game ceremony for their dedication and commitment to the Vikings' basketball program over the past four years.  

Zaiter scored 18 first half points, doing most of her damage in the post as Salem State outscored MCLA 32-2 in the paint in racing to a 49-20 halftime advantage. The Vikings opened up a 27-10 first quarter lead with Zaiter and Delgado combining for 22 points. Leading 10-5, the Vikings quickly built a 21-7 lead following a layup by Delgado. MCLA, which shot just 4-of-13 (30.8%) in the opening period, only scored five points over the final 4:33 as Salem State took a 17-point advantage into the second quarter. The Trailblazers registered just one field goal in the second quarter, a jumper by Emma Butler (Pittsfield, Mass.), going 1-for-11 (9.1%) as the Vikings took control. Salem State, which converted 21-of-35 (60.0%) field goal attempts, took their largest lead of the half , 49-16 on a layup by Gabby Torres (Peabody, Mass.) with less than a minute remaining before halftime.

Delgado had 11 first half points going 5-for-6 (83.3%) from the floor. Shannon Carney (Averill Park, N.Y.) led MCLA with six points.

Salem State increased their margin in the third behind the strong play of Wallace, who had five points and eight rebounds in the quarter. MCLA went scoreless for nearly three minutes and a layup by Wallace gave the Vikings a70-30 lead in the final minutes, before a jumper by the Trailblazers' Livia Pressley (Cobleskill, N.Y.) made the deficit 72-32 entering the fourth quarter.

Salem State closed out the final period with their reserves, holding MCLA to 4-of-16 (25.0%)  shooting, in securing an 86-43 victory.

Mattera finished with nine points, going 3-for-4 (75.0%) from behind the arc with six rebounds. Wallace added five points, 11 rebounds, six assists and four steals for the Vikings, who have now won three in a row.

Pressley netted 11 points and corralled five rebounds while Emma O'Keefe (South Glastonbury, Conn.) scored nine points and added six rebounds for the Trailblazers.