Women’s Basketball drops MASCAC decision at Salem State, 74-62
Salem, MA- Salem State's Liz Zaiter scored a game-high 33 points, including her career 1,000th, leading the Vikings to a 74-62 win over MCLA tonight. With the victory Salem State improves to 8-10 (3-2 MASCAC) while the Trailblazers fall to 3-13 (0-4 MASCAC).
Despite MCLA's Kristie Zator connecting on three 3-pointers, Salem State would take advantage of 7 Trailblazer turnovers and end the first quarter on a 7-0 run to take a 24-15 lead into the game's first intermission.
A Hailey Peabody jumper at the 7:20 mark would cap off a 6-1 MCLA run to start the second quarter and trim the Viking lead to 25-21. After nearly a four-minute scoring drought by both teams in the middle of the quarter, Salem would surge ahead again heading into the locker room with a 37-29 advantage.
Zaiter would dominate the third quarter for the Vikings scoring 13 points to help extend the Salem State lead to 59-46 heading into the fourth.
MCLA's Zaylee Ramos would score 9 of her team-high 17 points in the fourth quarter but it would prove not to be enough. A Jaylen Nieves 3-pointer with nearly four and a half minutes to go would give Salem State their largest lead at 71-54 and the Vikings would coast to the 74-62 win.
Along with Zaiter's game-high 33 points, Salem State's Genness and Abuk Teng would chip in 11 and 10 points respectively.
MCLA was led by Ramos with 17 points and Zator who finished with 15 points on 5 of 8 shooting from beyond the arc. Teta (14 points) and Peabody (12 points) also had strong performances.
Salem State shot 46.3% from the field including 31.3% from distance. MCLA shot 51% from the field including 58.3% from three. The Trailblazers however committed 24 turnovers.
Both teams will be back in action this Saturday at 2pm. Salem State will travel to Framingham State to take on the two-time defending MASCAC champs while MCLA will host Worcester State.