SALISBURY, North Carolina - After a brief time away due to some scheduling changes, the Salem women's basketball team finally got back on the floor on Monday night when they headed down to North Carolina to take on the Bears of Livingstone College. The game was closely contested the whole way, but a late Salem push drove them to a 72-59 victory over the Bears. 

In the first quarter, Salem got off to a great start by spreading the ball around offensively. Anete Bluma, Anna Machytkova, and Kirsten Cross all scored early on the Tigers, and Salem jumped out to a nearly a double digit lead. However, the Bears came right back and brought the game to within a point. In response, Salem fired back with 2 quick three pointers from Emerson Wells and Daniela Quesada, and the quarter ended with a score of 17-14 favoring the Tigers.

In the second, Salem maintained a slight advantage for a while, but the Bears knotted the game up at 22-22 midway through the period. Both teams then traded runs, and the game went into the halftime break at 29-27 favoring Livingstone. 

In the third, Salem quickly earned the lead back thanks to the three point shooting of Daniela Quesada and the free throw shooting of Liliani Krause. Livingstone would answer back by tying up the score twice more in the third, and the game went into the 4th in a dead heat at 47-47.

With the pressure on both squads in the final period, Salem battled to maintain a tight advantage early on in the quarter. However, Nerea Arambarri Fernandez and Elena Pericic opened up the Tiger's offensive attack, and Salem began to pull away. Livingstone responded with a rally of their own, but it would be too little too late for the Bears. Salem rode their final wave to a well earned 72-59 victory.

On the stats sheet, Salem was led by Daniela Quesada with 19 points. Liliani Krause added 14, and Anna Machytkova chipped in 10. Elena Pericic also added 10 points off the bench for the Tigers. 

With this final true road game of the season, the Tigers will be at home for 3 straight contests before potentially heading into postseason play. The first of those contests will be against Central Pennsylvania College on Wednesday, February 8th at 7 PM at T. Edward Davis Gymnasium.