SALEM, Mass. - Salem State College women's basketball team jumped out to a 22-3 lead and never looked back en route to a 70-44 semifinal round victory over Westfield State College in the Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference postseason tournament at James Twohig Gymnasium Friday evening.
The semifinal victory advances Salem State to the MASCAC championship game tomorrow at 2:00 pm. vs. Bridgewater State. The MASCAC playoff winner receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Division 3 tournament, which begins March 1 and 3. SSC has won the last 13 MASCAC title games and 15 of 16.
The No. 1 seed Lady Vikings (22-4) led 41-13 at the break and continued their solid play into the second half. SSC, ranked No. 23 nationally in this week's USA/ESPN Division 3 poll, upped the program's 16-year MASCAC tournament record to 33-1, including a 26-0 mark at home.
Westfield (12-14), the No. 4 seed, shot a dismal 5 for 35 (14 percent) from the field in the opening half and turned the ball over 15 times. The Lady Vikings shot 16 for 34 (.471) in the first half.
The Owls were a victim of Salem's balanced offense which included a game-high 20 points from sophomore forward Michelle Gosselin of Underhill, VT. All 10 SSC players who appeared in the game scored.
Senior center Estrella Kuilan of Lowell who was named 2005-06 MASCAC player of the year and was doubled teamed the entire game, added seven points, four rebounds,, three blocks, a steals and an assist.
Gosselin, who joined Kuilan as a first-team All-MASCAC selection, shot a blistering 8 for 11 from the field including four for five from three-point land. She also added six rebounds.
Sophomore forward Lindsey Watkins of Wareham dropped in nine points and collected six boards for the Lady Vikings, who also received eight rebounds and six points from Peabody freshman forward Allyson Vaccaro.
Senior guard Meghan McCarthy of Belchertown paced Westfield with a team-high nine points, six rebounds, four assists, four steals and a block. Betty Dey, a sophomore guard from Waltham, added seven boards and five points for the Owls.
