Olivia Hadla (file photo)
Posted: Jan 12, 2022
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State women's basketball topped the 100-point barrier for the third time in as many games, as the Owls topped Salem State, 102-72 at the Twohig Gymnasium in Salem, Mass. on Wednesday night.
Westfield won its fourth game in a row, and it's second straight to open conference play. Westfield sits atop the MASCAC with a 2-0 league record and is now 6-7 overall.
The Owls led 20-16 at the end of the first quarter, but opened the lead up to 51-39 at the half.
Salem trimmed Westfield's lead down to eight points by scoring the first four points of the second half, but from there the Owls went on a 10-0 run, using pressure defense to get several steals that were converted into layups to boost the lead to 18 points at 61-43 with 5:59 left on a Maddie Pond layup.
Westfield played all 15 players available for the game, with leading scorers Melissa Gray (Peabody, Mass.) and Paris Wilkey (Lynn, Mass./Classical) unavailable on Wednesday night. The duo typically combines for nearly 32 points per game.
Sophomore guard Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.) led the Owls with a career-high 20 points and made four steals. Alison Mendel (Adams, Mass./Hoosac) also had a career best with 18 points, Jordan Grant (Gray, ME/Gray-New Gloucester) netted a career-best 15 in just her third game as an Owl, Bella Aitken (Pittsfield, Mass.) added 15 and Jess Gardner (Webster, Mass./Holy Name) a career-best 13 for Westfield.
The Owls launched 110 shots in the game, matching the second-highest total in school history, including 44 threes. Westfield was just 6-44 behind the arc while missing Gray's sharpshooting, but Westfield made up for it with 32 offensive rebounds and by forcing 42 Salem State turnovers. Grant led the Owls with nine rebounds.
Salem was led by 22 points and 11 rebounds from Irianis Delgado. Gabby Torres added 15 points.
Westfield State is slated to be back action on Saturday, hosting a comference game against Worcester State at 12 noon at the Woodward Center.