Women’s Basketball Outlasts Salem State 69-62

Framingham, Mass. – The Framingham State University women's basketball team opened up a 12 point lead in the third quarter and held off a comeback by Salem State University to secure a 69-62 victory this afternoon in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action at the Athletic Center.

With the win, the Rams have won five straight and improve to 9-6 on the year and are now 3-0 in the league, while the loss drops the Vikings to 6-9 overall and 2-1 in the MASCAC.

Senior Raegan Mulherin (Baldwinville, Mass.) paced the Rams with a game-high 22 points to go along with seven rebounds, two assists and three steals, while sophomore Mary Kate O'Day (Berlin, Mass.) added a double double effort of 18 points and a team-high 11 boards. Sophomore Julia Sanborn (Dracut, Mass.) added 12 points off the bench on five-of-seven from the floor.

The Vikings were led by 16 points and 12 rebounds from senior Norma Waggett (Saugus, Mass.), while junior Kia Fernandes (Wareham, Mass.) added a double double of her own with 14 points on four-of-nine from the floor to go along with 12 boards and three assists.  Sophomore Brianna Rodriguez (Salem, Mass.) was the only other Vikings in double figures with 12 points.

The Rams led by four at the half and opened the second half with a 12-4 run capped by a pair of O'Day free throws to take a 12 point lead, 49-37, midway through the quarter.  Salem State chipped away at the lead and pulled within five on a jumper by Waggett in the closing seconds of the quarter to trail 53-48.

In the fourth, the Rams extended the lead to seven with seven minutes to go on a Sanborn layup, but the Vikings scored five straight points including a jumper from Fernandes to pull within two, 57-55.  Sophomore Emily Velozo (Tewksbury, Mass.) nailed a three with just over four minutes remaining pushing the lead back to five, but the Vikings pulled back within two on a Tyra Scott basket and free throw from Waggett.  After an O'Day layup, the Vikings pulled back within three, 62-59, on a Fernandes free throw, but the Rams went six-for-six from the line with Sanborn hitting two and Mulherin four to seal the victory.

The Rams are back in action on Wednesday night when they travel to Westfield State for a MASCAC game beginning at 5:30 p.m., while the Vikings travel to Eastern Connecticut on Tuesday for a non-conference contest at 5 p.m.