WORCESTER -- Sofia Santorelli (Harrison, NY) exploded for a career-high 21 points and Adrianna Niles (Tewksbury, MA) posted her second double-double of the season to lift WPI to a 78-46 triumph against Salem State in a non-conference women's basketball contest played Sunday afternoon in Harrington Auditorium.
With the result, both squads now boast identical 5-3 records on the season.
The game had the feel of an offensive battle early on as both teams - Shannon Reno (Millbury, MA) for WPI and Abuk Teng (Manchester, NH) for Salem State - drained 3-pointers on their initial possessions. The first quarter featured four lead changes and a pair of ties as the hosts led 17-13 after the opening 10 minutes.
The second quarter was a different story as the Engineers used the hot-shooting of Santorelli to outscore the guests 23-6. The rookie guard canned 3-of-4 from downtown and 5-of-6 overall during the stanza to account for 11 of her 13 first half points. The WPI defense also stepped up, not allowing a Salem State basketball over the final 8:25 of the first half and headed the locker room by scoring 13 of the opening half's 14 points, capped by an Allison Fullem (Underhill, VT) put back to beat the buzzer and send the Crimson and Gray into the locker room with a 40-19 advantage.
WPI enjoyed one of its finest shooting quarters in recent years in the third quarter, connecting on 8-of-10 from the floor. Santorelli and Niles both netted five points in the frame as the Engineers were a perfect 3-for-3 on trifectas en route to outscoring the Vikings 21-18 in a fast-paced 10 minutes. The hosts never saw its lead shrink under 17 points during the second half of play.
Santorelli was the breakout star for the Engineers. She finished 8-of-11 from the floor, including 5-of-8 on 3-pointers, in 29 minutes off the bench after amassing just 24 minutes in four games prior to Sunday. Niles registered 15 points and gobbled up a career-best 13 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive glass.
Alice Kelly (Wethersfield, CT) also reached double figures in scoring with a season-high 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting while Reno finished with nine points on a perfect 3-for-3 from downtown. Ava Giansiracusa (Wethersfield, CT) established a new career-best in assists with six, including five in the first half and Fullem hauled in six rebounds.
Nicolette D'Itra (Revere, MA) paced Salem State with 16 points while playing all 40 minutes. Ernidia Goncalves (Everett, MA) and Teng each contributed 11 points with Goncalves totaling 10 rebounds to collect her sixth double-double of the season while Kylie Gates (Pembroke, MA) stuffed the stat sheets with seven points, seven boards, five assists and five steals.
On the day, WPI drained a season-best 12 3-pointers, out-rebounded the Vikings 47-30 and fueled by Santorelli's performance, saw its bench outscore the SSU reserves by a 36-1 margin.
WPI is idle until Saturday when it ventures to Brunswick, Maine to tangle with Bowdoin. Tipoff against the Polar Bears is slated for 3pm. Salem State has a quick turnaround, returning home Tuesday to entertain Brandeis at 7pm.