MEN’S ICE HOCKEY
SALEM – Daniel Campbell (Waterloo, ONT) and Brandon Platt (Pittsburgh, PA) led the Vikings with three points (1g, 2a) apiece as Salem State cruised to a 7-3 victory over the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth Saturday afternoon at Rockett Arena during Military Appreciation Day at Salem State. The Vikings snapped a three-game losing streak to improve to 2-3 on the season and 2-2 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. UMass Dartmouth falls to 3-3 and 2-2 in the MASCAC.
The Vikings’ forwards set the tone early in the game, peppering UMass goalie Drew Michals (Newton, MA) with four quick shots in the opening minutes including an Eric Rogorzenski (Barnstable, MA) wristshot that rang off the post in the third minute of play. Midway through the first period, Callum Hofford (Woodbridge, ONT) found captain Michael Casale (Stoney Creek, ONT) on the weak side for the one-timer where Casale put home the puck on his second attempt that gave Salem State a 1-0 lead. The Vikings’ defense was on point in the first period as well, holding the Corsairs to only five shots to Salem State’s 11.
However, the tide turned in the second period as UMass exploded for three consecutive goals sparked by Connor Court (Swansea, IL), who collected a loose puck in front of Viking goalie Jason Pucciarelli (Newmarket, ONT) for a quick score on Pucciarelli’s blocker side. Five minutes later, Casey Shea (Woburn, MA) centered a pass on a rush during a power play leaving the puck for Brandon Berkley (Scottsdale, AZ) who easyily beat Pucciarelli short side. The Corsairs then added their third goal nine minutes in, that gave them a 3-1 edge on another power play goal from Matt Baldino (Woburn, MA) on an assist from Jon Houk (Richboro, PA) who put a shot on Pucciarelli initially.
Despite the three consecutive goals, Salem State was resilient as they retaliated with three goals of their own in just over a three-minute span before the end of the second period. Brandon Wolfe heightened the Vikings’ energy when he crashed the net after a Aleksi Mustaniemi (Vihti, Finland) snapshot from just inside the blue line that hit Wolfe’s tape that allowed him to beat Michal short side. The momentum change was critical for Michal as the Vikings’ offense couldn’t miss the net as Ryan Wilkinson (Burlington, ONT) buried a Salem State goal from Brandon Platt (Pittsburgh, PA) to tie the game. Campbell added the fourth Salem State goal when veteran Platt found Campbell for the quick shot that went right over Michals shoulder and into the back of the net.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
NORTHHAMPTON – Kaitlyn Bryan (Lowell, Mass.) scored 19 points and added eight rebounds, but it was not enough as Salem State lost to Colby-Sawyer 81-65 on the opening day of the Tyler Tip-Off hosted by Smith College. Three Vikings scored in double digits as Tyra Scott (Methuen, Mass.) notched 14 points and Norma Waggett (Saugus, Mass.) added 13. Kia Fernandes (Wareham, Mass.) contributed nine points on 4-of-6 shooting and four rebounds. The Vikings slip to 1-2 on the season while Colby-Sawyer opens the year 1-0.
The Vikings led by two, 56-54 at the end of the third quarter, but the Chargers closed the game on tear, outscoring Salem State 27-9, which included a 14-0 run in the final period
to pull away for the victory.
Colby-Sawyer freshman Lexie Hamilton (Sunapee, N.H.) poured in a game best 25 points and went 5-for-10 from beyond the arc. Kristin Ellis (South Easton, Mass.) added 16 points on 7-for-10 from the floor and grabbed a team best seven rebounds. Tianna Sugars (Oxford, Maine) scored 10 points in 11 minutes on 3-of-3 from the floor and 4-of-4 from the free throw line. She also had six rebounds.
Salem State will face Daniel Webster in a consolation game at 2:00 PM tomorrow.
