Jen Ashton looks for an open teammate. (File photo by David Fried)
WESTFIELD – Westfield State senior guard Jen Ashton (Beverly/Beverly, Mass.) scored a career-best 30 points to lead Westfield State to a 78-57 win over Salem State in a MASCAC women’s basketball game at the Woodward Center on Saturday afternoon.
Ashton shot 10-16 from the floor and 8-10 from the free throw line while garnering five steals and dishing out four assists.
Westfield improves to 11-4 on the season and 3-0 in the MASCAC. Salem drops 2-11, and 0-3 in the MASCAC.
Westfield led 23-16 with 8:34 to play in the first half, then embarked on a 12-2 run over the next seven minutes to break the game open and led 38-21 at the half.
The Owls outscored the Vikings 24-8 over the first seven and a half minutes to build a 33-point lead before substituting freely late in the game. Ashton scored all 16 of her second-half points in the first 8:26 of the stanza before sitting out the last 10 minutes.
Junior forward Forbasaw Nkamebo finished with 14 points and nine rebounds for the Owls. Gabby Felix scored six points and grabbed 13 rebounds.
Ashton’s big day spoiled a 26-point, 18-rebound effort from the Vikings’ Rachael Carter. Carter scored 18 of her points and grabbed 14 rebounds in the second half. Savannah Spinney added 10 points for Salem State.
The Owls will be back in action on Tuesday night, traveling to play Worcester State in a game that will be played at Nichols College in Dudley, Mass. (as Worcester State’s athletics center is under construction).
Salem will host Framingham State on Tuesday.
