Seahawks captured by Lions

QUINCY, Mass.- The Eastern Nazarene College women's basketball team defeated Salve Regina 56-53 Wednesday evening at the Lahue Physical Education Center for the first time since the 1998-99 season.

The Lions improve to 9-12 on the year and 7-7 in the Commonwealth Coast Conference. The Seahawks sink to 11-11 overall and 8-7 in league play with the loss.

Mhiah Vickers (Westlake Village, Calif.) notched a double-double for the second consecutive game, finishing with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Elia Salazar (Los Angeles, Calif.) also posted a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards in the contest. Jasmine Mata (Santa Barbara, Calif.) netted 12 points while Nicole Greer (Odenton, Md.) added nine points.

The guests chalked up the first three buckets of the game to grab a 6-0 lead 3:17 into the game.

Eastern Nazarene fought back to level the score at 10-10 as Greer drained the second of two free throws with 12:25 left to play in the half.

The Lions claimed their first lead of the evening with 8:34 remaining on a trey by Jordan Grays (Elk Grove, Calif.), 15-12.

The Seahawks closed out the first period on a 13-5 run to carry a 29-22 lead at halftime.

Salazar paced the home team with six points and eight rebounds in the opening frame while Mata tallied five points.

Eastern Nazarene shot 23.5% from the field in the first half while Salve Regina owned a field-goal percentage of 40% at the intermission.

The Lions seized a 36-35 with 13:15 on the clock as Vickers connected on a jump shot.

The hosts built up a nine-point advantage with 7:08 left to play on a basket by Mata, 52-43.

The visitors responded with 10 straight points to go ahead by one with 2:03, 53-52, capped off by Meaghan Harden (Sandwich, Mass.) with a three-pointer.

Eastern Nazarene reclaimed a 54-53 lead with 1:49 remaining as Vickers tossed up a layup on the ensuing possession.

The Lions extended the gap to 56-53 with 20 seconds on the clock as Vickers set up Salazar for an uncontested lay-in.

Eastern Nazarene stymied Salve Regina on its final possession as it searched for the equalizer. Mata corralled a clutch steal to lock up the Lions' first win over the Seahawks since February 4, 1999.

The Lions concluded the contest with a 33.8% field-goal percentage while knocking down two three-pointers of five efforts. The Seahawks shot 37% from the floor and 40% from beyond the arc.

Harden scored a game-high 22 points while Brianna Del Valle registered a double-double with 10 points and 11 boards.

Looking ahead, Eastern Nazarene eyes its fourth-straight victory as it hosts Western New England February 14.