BOSTON, MASS. - Juniors Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.) had a game high 19 points and nine rebounds and Nicole Simmler (Oxford, Mass.), who hit seven of her 10 shots from the field,  finished with 16 points to lead the Keene State women's basketball team to a season-opening 60-41 victory over Elmira College in the Emerson College Tip-Off Tournament in Boston on Saturday.

Keene State will play Emerson for the tournament title on Sunday at 2 p.m. Emerson defeated Curry College 61-51 in its first-round game.

Keene State used a 17-3 run to take a 19-6 lead with 10:45 remaining in the half.  A jumper by Elmira's Erin Ruppell (So., Lehighton, Pa.) closed the game to 19-8 and neither team scored for the next 3:23.  Simmler broke the drought with a layup.  A free throw by Ruppell with just over six minutes remaining precipitated another Keene run that moved the score to 29-11.  The teams then traded points over the last 3:45 to end the half at 35-18.

The Keene defense was the story in the first half as the Owls scored 18 of their points off Elmira turnovers.  Keene State also took advantage of its strength inside to outscore the Soaring Eagles 18-6 in the paint.

The second half was more of the same with the Owls' lead never falling below 15 points.

The Owls held Elmira College to 28% shooting for the game.

Senior Jenn Kinney (Salem, N.H.) added eight rebounds for KSC.  Ruppell led Elmira with nine points while Mary Symonds (Sr., South Acworth, N.H.) pulled down a game-high 13 rebounds.

Elmira will play Curry College in the consolation game at noon.