Owls Soar Past Vikings

SALEM, Mass. –  This afternoon, Salem State women's basketball hosted its annual Think Pink game in their conference matchup between the Owls of Westfield State University. The Owls fast-paced style proved to be too much for the Vikings as they took the 69-59 win, dropping Salem to 4-5 in MASCAC play.

Two Vikings recorded double-doubles on the afternoon with Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, Mass.) notching 18 points and 12 rebounds and Abuk Teng (Manchester, N.H.) landing 19 points to go with 12 boards. Lamia Ashley (Norwalk, Conn.) added 10 points of her own in the effort.

The Owls saw three players in double- figures on the afternoon with Maddie Pond (Holyoke, Mass.) leading the charge with 21 points, followed by Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.) and Hannah Sheldon (Taunton, Mass.) who chipped in 13 and 10, respectively, in the victory.

How it Happened:

•  The Owls found themselves with the early 7-2 advantage before going scoreless for five minutes for Westfield, allowed the Vikings to make it a one-point game (7-6) with 3:16 to play in the opening stanza.
• After two Owl three-pointers, in just as many minutes, Westfield found themselves on top by double- digits with 1:28 remaining the first but a couple possessions later, Jaylen Nieves (Chicopee, Mass.) was able to bank in a three, to bring it to a seven-point game (18-11) after the first ten minutes of action.  
• Westfield opened the second quarter with 10 unanswered points that gave them the sizeable 17-point advantage (28-11) with 7:15 to play in the half. One minute later Nieves was able to stop the bleeding by landing a jumper for the Vikings.
• With 2:50 to play in the half, a three from Hadla gave the Owls their largest lead of the game (20 points) before Goncalves converted a gritty and-one to cut into the deficit and bring the score to 36-19. The Vikings used the final two minutes of the half to mount a comeback and cut their deficit to 13 (39-26) heading into the break.
• Spearheaded by Goncalves, the Vikings opened the half on a 7-0 run to cut the Owl's lead to six and bring the score to 39-33 with 5:10 to play in the third. Shortly after, Westfield found their first bucket of the half which sparked them to a 5-0 to reclaim the 11-point edge (44-33). Westfield was able to hold onto the double-digit advantage to head into the final ten minutes of play ahead, 54- 41.
• In similar fashion to the third quarter, the Vikings started the fourth with seven unanswered points to come within six points (54-48) of the visitors with 8:12 remaining.
• At the halfway point, a Goncalves layup brought her squad within five (59-54) and the game to a two-possession bout. Unfortunately, five would be as close as the Vikings would get as the Owls closed out the game on a 10-5 run to take the eventual 69-59 victory.