'DANBURY, CT  - 11/9/02- The Keene State College women's volleyball team saw its hopes for a first-ever Conference Championship come to an end with a tough 3-2 lose to top seed Western Connecticut State University in a semifinal Little East Conference Tournament match played in Danbury, CT, on Saturday.

After winning the first game 30-21, the fourth seeded Owls dropped the next two games to WCSU (30-19 and 30-17).  Coming back to take the fourth game 30-28, KSC lost the deciding fifth game 15-9.

"Our defense wasn't as strong as its been lately," said a disappointed KSC Coach Scott Price.  "But we gave them a good fight."

Deborah Hughes (Ashland, N.H.) led the Owls with 15 kills, one ace, six digs and four blocks.  Abbe Robichaud (Gilford, N.H.) added 22 digs, 1 block and 10 kills while Nicole Geyselears finished with 11 kills and seven blocks.

Setter Adrienne Deschnow (Meriden, CT) had 42 assists, 13 digs and one block.

Keene State (15-7), which posted the program's best record since the 1983 season, will now await a possible bid to the ECAC Tournament.

Western CT (19-14) moves on to the LEC Championship.