KEENE, N.H. 11/21/03- The Keene State College Women's basketball team opened up its 2003-04 season with a 75-50 victory over Thomas College in a opening round game of the 8th Annual KSC Tip-Off Tournament held Friday at Spaulding Gym.

Keene State moves on to the championship game where they will face St. Joseph's College of Maine, and 62-59 winner of Framingham State College in the other first round game.

Senior Andrea Arsenault (Dover, N.H.) had 15 points and eight rebounds, Bekka Hopkins (Oxford, Mass.) added 15 points, and Stacey Morse (Lebanon, N.H.) finished with 12 points to lead the Owls.

Trailing by a point with seven minutes to play in the first half, KSC rallied with a 17-3 run to take a 34-21 lead at half time.
 
The Owls also got a contribution from freshmen Sarah Begnoche (Millville, Mass.) who had nine points and nine rebounds and guard Brianne Barnes (Merrimack, N.H.) who had seven assists.

Courtney Corbett who had nine points and nine rebounds led Thomas College, who committed 37 turnovers.

In the other semifinal, Brittany Rauscher's driving lay-up with 16.1 seconds left lifted St. Joseph's over Framingham State.  Abbie Rice and Margaret Blauvelt each had 14 points each for the Lady Monks.  Colleen Kennedy had 19 points for the Rams.