Men’s Basketball Wins
North Adams, MA– Salem State’s Shaquan Murray scored 18 points while teammate Marcus Faison notched a double double as the Vikings defeated the MCLA Trailblazers 81-62 in MASCAC this afternoon in the Amsler Campus Center Gym. Faison ended with 16 points and 13 rebounds in the win.
The Vikings (14-8 overall) improve to 8-1 in the MASCAC while MCLA (2-18 overall) is still in search of their first win, drops to 0-9.
The opening half saw MCLA jump out to an early 6-0 advantage as the Trailblazers took advantage of a sluggish start by the Vikings. SSU would go to their bench to get going. Sean Bryan made a pair of FT’s and Cornelius Matthews converted a three point play to get the Vikings some momentum. Mathews made another jumper to give SSU their first lead at 9-8 early on and they wouldn’t trail the rest of the way. When Bryan connected in the final seconds of the half, the Vikings took a 44-30 lead into the locker rooms.
Faison had 12 points and 7 rebounds after the troubled start to lead all scorers in the first half of play. MCLA shot just 37% and was hampered by 11 turnovers in the opening stanza.
Salem State quickly extended the lead and with 11:07 left to play they led 65-41 and were on their way. MCLA would cut the deficit to 14 but couldn’t get no closer as the Vikings kept them at bay.
Faison was 6-14 from the floor for his 16 points for SSU. Murray was just 6-17 from the floor for his game high of 18. Sean Bryan and Tyreik McCauley each ended with 10 points in the win. The Vikings shot 43% in the win and forced 19 Trailblazer turnovers.
For MCLA, they were led by Keiland Cross’ team high 18 points, including 12 in the second half of play. Joe Murray notched a double double of his own with 17 points and 12 boards, while Joe Wiggins added 12 points for the Trailblazers.
MCLA is back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Framingham State.
SSU Women’s Basketball Wins
North Adams, MA- The visiting Salem State women’s basketball team received a game high 21 points from Norma Waggett as they earned their first MASCAC win of the season in a 59-53 win over the MCLA Trailblazers this afternoon. The Vikings (9-13, 1-8 MASCAC) ended a nine game slide in the process, while the Trailblazers (7-13, 2-7 MASCAC) suffered their fifth straight defeat.
The game was tied at the end of the first quarter as Kia Fernandes scored ten points for the Vikings and it was 13-13. They would extend the lead to 32-24 at halftime as Waggett heated up connecting for nine points, including a three pointer on the final possession of the half to give SSU the lead in the locker room.
The Vikings would lead the entire second half, but weren’t able to pull away from MCLA. An opening basket in the third quarter gave them their largest lead of the night at 34-24 before the hosts mounted a rally. MCLA went on a 7-0 run fueled by Brayleigh Hanlon who had five points in the spurt to make it 34-31. The Vikings responded though as Waggett connected on a pair of FT’s and when Kate Lipka drilled another three, it was 39-31 in favor of Salem. They would eventually take a 44-40 lead into the home quarter.
The lead was down to just two points at 46-44 after Kayla Hotaling’s free throws, but Waggett once again answered with a jumper with 5:44 left to make it 48-44. MCLA got no closer than three points the rest of the way as Courtney McLaughlin made a pair at the line to get within 51-48 with under two minutes left, but Salem made one of two at the line, forced a turnover, and then Waggett connected again to put the game out of reach for MCLA.
Waggett was 7-19 from the floor and 3-6 from three point range for her game high 21 points. Kaitlyn Bryan added 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 steals for the victors. Fernandes added only one point after the first quarter but ended with 11 points. SSU shot 35% from the floor in the win and canned 9 shots from beyond the arc.
MCLA was paced by McLaughlin’s team high 13 point night, but she was just 4-14 from the floor. She did add 8 rebounds and 3 steals. Hanlon and Hotaling each ended with 10 points apiece. They also each finished off the double double with 13 and 10 rebounds respectively. MCLA couldn’t overcome a 30% shooting night and 16 turnovers.
The Trailblazers are back in action on Wednesday when they travel to Framingham State.
Women’s Hockey Falls
SALEM — Caitie Darosa (Madison, Conn.) stopped 12 shots as Stevenson completed a two-game sweep with a 4-1 victory over Salem State on Saturday afternoon at Rockett Arena. The Mustangs jump to 11-9 on the season and 5-3 in the Colonial Hockey Conference. The Vikings slip to 3-16 and 1-7 in the CHC.
Chelsea Ellis (Saint Albans, Vt.) opened the scoring as she fired in a rebound after Sarah Plourde (Hooksett, N.H.) made the original save to stake Stevenson to a 1-0 first period lead. The Mustangs, despite outshooting Salem State 17-5 in the period carried only a 1-0 lead into the second.
Stevenson continued to dominate possession in the second as they tacked on two more scores to take a 3-0 advantage. Carly McGee (Lake Orion, Mich.) scored a power play goal as her slap shot found the back of the net at the 13:29 mark. Later Natalie Rosendahl (Joliet, Ill.) poked in a loose puck for a 3-0 Mustangs lead.
In the third, Cierra Siemasko (Fallston, Md.) extended the lead to 4-0 when she blasted home a rebound off a shot from the right face-off circle by Ellis. However, Julia Dares (Hanover, Mass.) prevented the shutout as she scored her first goal of the year to make it 4-1 with 8:51 remaining.
Plourde made 45 saves for the Vikings, who were outshot 49-13 for the game.
Both teams return to action next Friday, February 10. Salem State will host Becker at 7:00 PM while Stevenson entertains Morrisville State at 4:00 PM.
