Witches Topple Falcons, Team Moves on to Second Round

The Witches managed to take advantage of several key turnovers from rival Danvers Wednesday night, securing a position in the second round of the MIAA Div. 2 North playoffs.

A combination of poor shooting, sloppy defense and several key turnovers spelled the end of the season for Pat Veilleux’s Lady Falcons, who played on their home court.

Danvers (15-5 in the regular reason) was never able to get into its game and trailed the visiting Salem Witches (12-10), from the opening tip to the final buzzer.

Salem started the game with tight, aggressive defense. The first 3-1/2 minutes saw a back-and-forth game in which neither team was able to get anything going. Back-to-back baskets by Salem’s Jasmine and Alix Bryant followed by two blocks and two steals by Jasmine Bryant gave the Witches a four-point lead.

Danvers’ first score didn’t come until just over four minutes to go in the period when sophomore guard Kasey Sherry hit the first of three three-pointers she would make in the game.

Turnovers and missed shots were the storyline for the balance of the quarter, with Salem at a 12-9 edge at the half.

Salem opened up the third quarter with five unanswered points in the first 1-1/2 minutes to create a little breathing room, 17-9. Not until three minutes were gone in the quarter did the usually reliable junior Sarah Palazola score her first two points via a pair of free throws. It was a rough night over all for Palazola who went 0-12 from the floor, and finished with just those two points.

For a few minutes in the third quarter it looked as if the Falcons were about to put it together – back-to-back baskets by seniors Alison Tivnan and Northeast Conference MVP Kellie Macdonald and a three-pointer by Sherry tied the contest at 18 with less than three minutes on the clock. But that was as close as they would get.

Turnovers or lapses in concentrated defense plagued the Falcons every time it looked like they would make a move, resulting in some easy baskets for the Lady Witches. A pair of three-pointers from Sherry brought Danvers to within five, but it proved too little, too late, as Salem maintained a four-point lead, 35-31, at the final buzzer.

Salem faces fifth seeded Gloucester this Sunday at 3 p.m.