BOSTON, MA 1/31/04 - Stacey Morse (Lebanon, N.H.) posted a double-double of 16 points and career-high 19 rebounds to lead the Keene State College women's basketball team over University of Massachusetts Boston, 58-40, in a Little East Conference game Saturday at the Clark Athletic Center in Boston. 

The Owls improve to 8-10 and 3-5 in the LEC, while the Beacons fall to 6-11 and 2-7 in the LEC.

Cathy Mechare (Falls Village, Conn.) drained a three-pointer to give Keene State an 8-2 lead with 18:09 to play in the first half, before UMass Boston reeled off six straight points to tie the contest at 8-8 with 14:41 showing in the first period.  Mechare canned another trey at the 13:20 mark of the first half and the Owls never looked back, leading the rest of the game.  The Beacons cut the lead to 12-10 with 11:11 to play in the first half, but Keene State went on an 11-2 run to extend its lead to 23-12 with 5:55 left in the first stanza.  UMass Boston closed to within 24-19 with 1:41 remaining in the first period and the Owls took a 26-21 advantage into the intermission. 

Freshman guard Kristen Reske (Duxbury, MA) converted a lay-up to put the Beacons into striking distance at 37-31 with 8:33 to go in the game, but Keene State ripped off eight straight points to pull away with a 45-31 margin with 7:14 remaining in the contest.  The Owls held UMass Boston at length the rest of the way.

Morse added two steals, an assist and a block to her afternoon, while Mechare finished with 10 points, seven rebounds, a game-high five steals and an assist.  Andrea Arsenault (Dover, N.H.) netted 11 points, including 7-8 from the free throw line and grabbed five rebounds.

Reske led the Beacons with 12 points, while sophomore forward Danielle Jones (Malden, MA) dropped in nine points, and eight boards. 

Keene State will travel to UMass-Dartmouth on Tuesday (7 p.m.). 

(courtesy of UMB Sports Information)