MOUNT IDA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
Thursday, November 30, 2017
Twohig Gymnasium, Salem, Mass.
FINAL: SALEM STATE 72, MOUNT IDA 60
SALEM, Mass. -- Senior Norma Waggett (Saugus, Mass.) scored 2 points, while junior Kia Fernandes (Wareham, Mass.) added a double-double effort of 22 points and 15 rebounds to lead Salem State to a 72-60 non-league college women's basketball victory over Mount Ida Thursday evening at Twohig Gymnasium.
The host Vikings (1-5) extended an eight-point first quarter lead into a 13-point advantage (33-20) at the break, as Salem State limited the visiting Mustangs (4-1) to a 14 percent shooting effort (4-28) in the opening 20 minutes of play. After allowing the opening bucket after intermission, Mount Ida used 12 unanswered points over a 3:17 span in the third quarter to close back to within three on a lay-in by senior Breanna Muir (Wareham, Mass.) with 6:18 to play in the frame, and senior Jaime Moscato's (Taunton, Mass.) three-pointer just over three minutes later enabled the visitors to forge a 43-43 tie.
The Mustangs grabbed a pair of one point leads late in the third quarter before the hosts took a one point edge (49-48) of their own into the final 10 minutes of action, as Salem State took control of the contest with a 13-3 run in just over seven minutes that was capped by a pair of free throws by sophomore Gianna Moschella (Peabody, Mass.) with 2:53 to play for a 62-51 Viking advantage. Mount Ida crept back to within six (66-60) on a three-pointer by senior Patricia Liotta (Hampton Bays, N.Y.) with 1:32 remaining, but a conventional three-point play by Waggett was followed by a trio of free throws that iced the hosts' triumph.
Waggett grabbed four rebounds and recorded a pair of steals to go with her game-high scoring effort in the win for Salem State, which presented first year Head Coach Al Berger with his first career victory. Junior Tyra Scott (Methuen, Mass.) chipped in with six points and 12 rebounds on the night for the hosts, who received five points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals from senior Saran Kaba (Dorchester, Mass.). Sophomore Brianna Rodriguez (Salem, Mass.) added seven points, seven boards, six steals and three assists for the Vikings, who shot 39 percent (27-70) from the field overall and held a 56-36 rebounding advantage for the night. Salem State scored 38 points in the paint and turned 21 offensive rebounds into 24 second chance points in the contest.
Liotta scored 18 points and was perfect on four attempts behind the arc in the setback for Mount Ida, which received 12 points, six rebounds and four steals from Moscato. Senior Imani Bumpus (Dedham, Mass.) added nine points, eight boards, three assists and a pair of steals for the Mustangs, who received eight points, four rebounds and four assists from Muir. Sophomore Valerie Martin (Derry, N.H.) collected seven points, nine rebounds, four steals and pair of assists as well for the visitors, who shot 27 percent (16-59) from the floor and canned nine three-pointers on the night in seeing their season-opening four-game winning streak come to a close.
Mount Ida heads into Boston on Saturday afternoon to take on Suffolk in its Great Northeast Athletic Conference opener that tips-off at 1:00 p.m., while Salem State hosts Southern Maine in a non-league outing on Tuesday evening at Twohig Gymnasium that begins at 7:00 p.m.