Fleming's Career-Best Scoring Effort Leads Women's Basketball Past Salem State, 73-67

SALEM, Mass. — The Endicott women's basketball team notched its first win of the season on Saturday afternoon at Salem State, 73-67, in non-conference action against the nearby Vikings.

Libby Fleming (Bangor, Maine) paved the way for the offense with her career-high (and game-high) scoring performance of 23 points (11-15 FG; 73.3%). She also hauled down six rebounds (four offensive) and dished out an assist in the win.

Sofia Mazzotta (Billerica, Mass.) had a coming-out party in her second career game, as she posted 18 points (6-9 FG; 2-4 3PT) and pulled down seven rebounds in her 26 minutes from off the bench.

Emma Shinney (Wakefield, Mass.) and Sarah Dempsey (Windham, N.H.) each stuffed the stat sheet in the road win. Shinney flirted with a triple-double (eight points, eight assists, nine rebounds), while Dempsey chipped in with 14 points (5-11 FG) and six rebounds for the Blue and Green.

The Gulls jumped out to a quick start in the first quarter, as they worked a double-digit lead (14-4) after just five-and-a-half minutes of play. The lead later grew to 12 off of an Avery Brown (Canton, Conn.) triple, putting the Gulls up 27-15 with 5:42 remaining in the first half.

An 11-5 spurt from the Vikings closed the lead back to just six (32-26) heading into the halftime break.

To open the third quarter, the Gulls broke loose for a 15-2 run in the first 4:22, highlighted by a Katelyn Konareski (Milford, Conn.) three-ball from the right corner. The run gave the Gulls their highest lead of the game (and season) at 19 (47-28).

However, the hosts refused to back down without a fight. Salem State, who trailed by eight heading into the fourth, nearly erased the deficit completely. The Vikings made it a one-point contest with just 29 seconds remaining, outscoring the Blue and Green 19-11 to open the final stanza.

Unfortunately for the Vikings, Dempsey and Mazzotta iced the game with some clutch free-throw shooting to lock down the Endicott road victory, 73-67.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• First career victory for head coach Jamie Insel and assistant coach Ella Thompson.
• The Gulls have won four of the last five meetings between the two teams, dating back to 1/30/20.
• Brown and Mazzotta each notched their first career field goals in the win.
• The Blue and Green won the battle on the glass, 44-40.
• They also dished out 11 more assists than Salem State (20-9).

WHAT'S NEXT

Endicott (1-1) heads to Tufts next Tuesday, November 19 for a 7 PM battle with the Jumbos. Salem State (0-3) visits Clark on Tuesday for a 6 PM tipoff. 

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(Photo Credit - David Le '10)