Stopera, Barrett Push Women's Basketball Past Salem State in OT 63-52

NEWTON, Mass. (11/21/15) – The Lasell College women's basketball team downed Salem State 63-52 in its 2015 home opener on Saturday afternoon in the Athletic Center Gym. Both teams shift to 2-2 overall after the contest.

STAT LEADERS FOR LASELL

• Senior Deanna Barrett (Berlin, Conn.) poured in a career high 24 points, capped by 6-for-10 from downtown.
• Senior Katie Stopera (Hollis, N.H.) followed with 22 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while sophomore Morgan Church dominated the glass with 13 rebounds.

STAT LEADERS FOR SALEM STATE

• Two Vikings reached double figures in the effort, as junior Kaitlyn Bryan (Lowell, Mass.) put away 16 points and 12 boards, while freshman Kia Fernandes (Wareham, Mass.) added 11 points and 16 rebounds.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Lasers had an electric start to the contest, as Stopera and Barrett teamed up for a trio of three pointers, 9-0. Lasell held the Vikings to just four points in the first quarter before Bryan strung together two three's to cut the score to 16-12 with 5:53 left to go. Leading 41-33 at the half, the Lasers opened the second stanza with a layup from senior Ashley Gleason (Suffield, Conn.) before the Vikings answered with an 8-0 run to tie it up, 43-43. Sophomore guard Saran Kaba (Dorchester, Mass.) knocked down a point from the charity stripe to yet again deadlock the game at 46, where Fernandes picked up the defensive board and drove to the hoop to the 48-46 lead. With seconds left to go in the game, Lasell freshman Jaime Caron (Derry, N.H.) collected a pass from Barrett to keep Lasell in the game with a good layup as the regulation buzzer sounded to force overtime action. Stopera and Barrett ran the extra period scoring five and six points, respectively, to award the home team a 63-52 overtime victory.
  
  

INSIDE THE BOX SCORE

• The Vikings outshot the Lasers 24.2% to 22.7% from the floor, as the Lasers went 20-for-25 on the free throw line compared to 17-24 from Salem, and also held a 25.7% to 15.8% advantage in shots from long range.
• Each team contributed 11 points off the bench, while Salem State edged the home team in points from the offensive board, 14-8.

WHATS NEXT

• Lasell returns to the Athletic Center Gym on Tuesday, November 24 vs. Western New England at 7:00 p.m., while the Vikings host Gordon College at 5:30 p.m.