BOSTON, MASS. 12/11/04 - The Keene State College women's basketball team never trailed as it defeated host University of Massachusetts-Boston, 66-47, in a Little East Conference game today at the Clark Athletic Center on the UMass-Boston campus. The Beacons fall to 2-5 overall and 0-2 in the LEC, while the Owls improve to 6-2 and 2-0.

Keene State jumped out to an 8-0 lead, while holding UMass-Boston scoreless for the first 4:13 of the game. Bri Barnes (Merrimack, N.H.) netted the first five points of the contest for the Owls. The Beacons were within one-point, trailing 14-13 at the 10:16 mark of the first half, before Keene State went on a 19-6 burst to take a 33-19 advantage with 1:53 showing on the first half clock. The Owls took a 33-21 lead into the intermission.

UMass-Boston never got closer than seven points the rest of the way and Keene State led by as many as 20. The Owls held the Beacons to just .279 (17-61) shooting from the field, while committing just nine turnovers.

Sarah Begnoche (Millville, Mass.) led KSC with 12 points and nine rebounds, while adding three steals, two assists and a blocked shot. Stacey Morse (Lebanon, N.H.) dropped in 12 points to go with eight rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block, and Barnes finished the day with 11 points, three boards, three assists, and a steal.

Freshman forward Jennifer Bennett (Lake Luzerne, N.Y.) led UMass-Boston with 11 points in addition to nine rebounds, four steals, two assists, and a pair of blocks, while junior center Agata Matel (Dorchester, Mass.) came off the bench to rip down a game-high 14 rebounds to go with nine points and an assist.

The Owls will be in action again when they host the KSC "Tip-off the New Year" Tournament on Saturday, January 1 (6 p.m.) against Albany College of Pharmacy. Manhattanville College and Westfield State College will play the early game on Jan. 1 (4 p.m.).

(courtesy of UMass-Boston)