PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore Alessia Salzillo (Saugus, Mass.) scored a team-high 16 points and equaled a career best with four three-pointers, but the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth shot nearly 65% from beyond the arc in the first half to topple Plymouth State University, 84-46, in a Little East Conference (LEC) women's basketball game at Foley Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
 
Salzillo was joined by classmate Jalen Cook (Bristol, Vt.) in double-figures, but UMD relied on the deep ball to build an early lead and the visitors never looked back. The Corsairs went 9-of-14 from long range in the first half and were able to hold PSU at bay over the final 20 minutes.
 
Plymouth State falls to 0-2 (0-2 LEC), as UMD picks up its first win of the season to improve to 1-2 (1-2 LEC).
 
The Basics:

• Plymouth State 46, UMass Dartmouth 84
  • Plymouth State (0-2, 0-2 LEC)
  • UMass Dartmouth (1-2, 1-2 LEC)

Top Performers:

• Plymouth State
  • Alessia Salzillo (16 pts, 4-6 3-pt, 4 reb)
  • Jalen Cook (12 pts, 5 asst, 2 blk)
• UMass Dartmouth
  • Jordan Moretti (20 pts, 4-6 3-pt, 6 reb, 7 asst)
  • Caroline Wilson (15 pts, 3-5 3-pt, 7 reb)

How it Happened:

• The teams went back and forth to start the game and Cook's triple gave PSU a 6-4 lead after four minutes.
• The Corsairs countered with three-pointers on each of their next three possessions to go in front for good.
• Sophomore Autumn Nelson (Weare, N.H.) sank a pair of free throws in the final minute of the opening frame to trim the margin to 21-13.
• The visitors used a 10-0 surge midway through the second to push the advantage to 36-16. Salzillo stopped the streak with a triple, but UMD responded with 13 straight points and took a 51-20 lead into the break.
• Plymouth State made a defensive adjustment coming out of halftime, limiting the Corsairs to just 2-of-10 from beyond the arc in the third, but UMD pushed the ball inside to increase the margin to 69-29 heading into the fourth.
• PSU outscored the visitors over the final ten minutes, highlighted by a pair of deep balls from Salzillo, but the deficit was too big to overcome.

By the Numbers:

• Freshman Sabrina Vlahovic (New Hope, Pa.) led the Panthers on the glass with a team-high eight rebounds.
• Plymouth State's defense limited the Corsairs to just 2-of-14 shooting from distance in the second half.
• UMass Dartmouth controlled the paint, outscoring PSU by a 32-6 margin and holding a 56-30 advantage on the boards.
• UMD has won 19 of the last 20 meetings dating back to 2011.

Up Next:

• Plymouth State remains home to face Castleton on Wednesday (Feb. 10) at 6:00 p.m.