'KEENE, N.H.  2/3/07 - The Keene State College women's basketball team extended its winning streak to five games with an 81-58 Little East Conference victory over UMass-Boston at Spaulding Gym on Saturday.

Keene State (15-5, 8-2 LEC) solidified its hold on second place in the conference. UMass-Boston (12-8, 6-4 LEC) saw its two game winning streak come to an end. The Beacons have never won a LEC game at Spaulding Gym (0-9). 

Denise Ridge (Milton, Mass.) gave UMB a five point lead (29-24) at the 5:09

mark of the first half.  The Owls finished the half with 12-3 run to take a 36-32 lead at the break.

The Owl took control of the game with a 12-2 run midway in the second half.  The run, which put KSC up 67-52, included six points by freshman Nicole Simmler (Oxford, Mass.) who was making her first start of the season. 

Bri Barnes (Merrimack, N.H.) had 20 points, including fourth three-pointers and Sarah Begnoche (Millville, Mass.) had her 10th double-double of the season with 17 points and 15 rebounds. Michele Boudreau (Readsboro, Vt.) with 13 points and Simmler with 12 points finished in double figures for the Owls.

Ridge and Kristen Reske (Duxbury, Mass.) had 11 points each to lead the Beacons.  Ridge led UMB with eight rebounds.  With her three treys, Reske is one three-pointer shy of the UMB record (142).

Assistant Josh Bartley coached the Beacons in place of head coach Shawn Renee Polk, who missed the game due to a mandatory NCAA referee meeting.

 Both teams play LEC road games on Tuesday, Keene State is at Eastern Conn. and UMB is at UMass-Dartmouth.