SALEM, West Virginia - Salem women's basketball team entered this afternoon's matchup with the Concord Mountain Lions in need of a fresh start for their season. With an afternoon home contest on the docket, the Tigers did just that. However, a resurgent offensive day was simply not enough to propel Salem past the Mountain Lions. The game resulted in a 81-73 win for Concord.

In the first period, the Tigers started off slow, but found their footing late in the period.  Carine Pinkney and Cassandra Smith led the Tigers through a short drought, and brought the contest up to 18-9 favoring Concord after the first period. 

In the second, Cassandra Smith provided the Tigers with some strong offensive work as she scored all 12 points for Salem in the period. However, Smith's offensive showcase still only got Salem to a 38-21 scoreline going into the half. 

After the intermission, the comeback bid began. Salem had a big hole to fill, but slowly whittled away at the Mountain Lion lead thanks to Carine Pinkney orchestrating the Tiger offense effectively. The score ended up at 58-40 after three quarters. 

In the final frame, Salem needed their way out of a big deficit and did not have much time left on the clock. They made a valiant effort at just that, and brought the game to within 6 thanks to some hot outside shooting from Kamryn Ruffin. Despite erasing a nearly 21 point lead, it was simply not enough for Salem to get control of the game. Concord sealed the victory late in the quarter from the foul line, and Salem was sent away with a 81-73 home loss. 

Despite the loss, there was some statistical bright spots for the Tigers. Salem was led by 22 point from Kamryn Ruffin. Carine Pinkney added 16 points, and Cassandra Smith chipped in 14 points of her own. Lastly, Liliani Krause added a double double with 12 points and 11 rebounds. Carmen Vasquez finished just short of another double double with 9 points and 8 rebounds. 

Salem remains at home for their next matchup. It will be the Senators of Davis and Elkins College who make their way to the Valley of Learning on Wednesday, December 11th at 5:30 PM.