Vikings Fall to Judges, 88-72

SALEM, Mass. – Salem State women's basketball welcomed the Judges of Brandeis University to Twohig Gymnasium tonight for a non-conference matchup. The Judges sank 15-three pointers en route to the 88-72 victory over the Vikings, dropping Salem to 5-4 on the season.  

The Vikings were led by Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, Mass.) and Abuk Teng (Manchester, N.H.) who both notched 17 points to go along with 14 and 12 rebounds, respectively. Nicolette D'Itria (Revere, Mass.) also recorded a double-double for the Vikings with 12 points and 14 rebounds while Kylie Gates (Pembroke, Mass.) chipped in 15 points in the effort.

Mollie Obar (North Yarmouth, Maine) recorded a game-high 20 points off the bench while Francesca Marchese (Staten Island, N.Y.) and Lulu Ohm (Waltham, Mass.) netted 15 and 13 points of their own, respectively, in the victory.

The Judges jumped out to the early 7-2 lead after back-to-back three pointers distanced themselves from the Vikings just two minutes into the action. Over the next three minutes the Vikings would tie the game twice before a Jaylen Nieves (Chicopee, Mass.) three would give them the slight 15-12 edge. The Judges would take the lead back shortly after before a deep ball from Teng would give the Vikings the 18-16 lead to end the first.

The second quarter started out slow with just two baskets in just as many minutes before an 8-0 run by the Judges put them ahead 24-22 with 5:56 to play in the half. Gates would answer with a four-point run of her own, but a trio of Judges' three-pointers would put them ahead five (35-30) with under three minutes to play. The Judges would hold the slight lead before Ohm danced around Viking defenders and nailed a jump shot at the buzzer to give her team the double-digit lead (41-31) heading into the break.

Just two minutes into the third, the Judges further distanced themselves as they poured in another trio of deep balls to give them a 16-point cushion (50-34). With 3 minutes to play in the half the Judges would see their largest lead of the game after an Obar three-pointer put them ahead 20 before Goncalves stopped the bleeding with a perfect trip to the charity stripe. Both squads would trade baskets to end the third with the Judges holding the comfortable 67-49 advantage heading into the final ten minutes of play.

After facing a deficit as high as 22 points the Vikings were able to use a 6-0 run to give them some momentum and cut the Judges lead to 13 (81-68) with 2:28 remaining in the game. Unfortunately, that would be as close as Salem would get as Obar would connect on her sixth three of the game to carry her squad to the 88-72 victory on the road over the Vikings.