PROVIDENCE, R.I.  1/17/04 - Kari Geisler, a four-time recipient of LEC rookie of the week honors, had 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds to lead the Rhode Island College women's basketball team to a 68-65 Little East Conference victory over Keene State College in Providence on Saturday.

Bekka Hopkins (Oxford, Mass.) scored a game-high 18 points to lead Keene State (7-6, 2-2 LEC), which saw its two game winning streak come to an end. Andrea Arsenault (Dover, N.H.) had 11 points, and Bri Barnes (Merrimack, N.H.) finished with nine points for the Owls.

The Anchorwomen (9-5, 3-2 LEC), who has won three straight, also got 14 points and 13 rebounds from Heather Pettigrew.

KSC couldn't take advantage of 35 RIC turnovers.  The Owls once again struggled in the shooting department hitting just 21 of 70 shots (30%).  Sarah Begnoche (Millville, Mass.) was three-for-17 and Stacey Morse (Lebanon, N.H.) hit just two of her 13 shots.  KSC also lost the battle of the boards by a wide 57-32 margin.

The Owls, who led 32-29 at the half, still had a chance to win the game.  A jumper by Morse game KSC a 65-62 lead with 1:36 to play.  RIC scored the final six points of the game.  A basket by Krsity Nix put the Anchorwomen ahead for good 66-65 with 16 seconds to play.   Brittany Faulkner (Lebanon, N.H.) missed a shot with 10 seconds on the clock, and RIC added two more free throws.

"This was a bad loss," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher.  "We created our own problems by making too many mistakes including some bad fouls down the stretch. "If we don't play better at Plymouth, we'll have the same results."

Keene State had won the previous eight games between the two teams. The Anchorwomen's last victory (68-55) came back on Dec. 5, 1998 in Providence.

Keene State travels to Plymouth State on Tuesday night (5:30 p.m.).