HARTFORD, CONN. 11/24/09 - The Keene State women's basketball
team celebrated its first-ever appearance in the national coaches'
Division III poll with a 66-50 victory over Trinity College at
Oosting Gymnasium on Tuesday.
Senior Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.) led
all scorers with 24 points, including 16 in the first half, and
added six rebounds, three assists, and four steals to lead the
visiting Owls, who were playing their first road game of the
season. Keene State ranked No. 22 in the nation, improve to
4-0. KSC also began the 2006-07 season with four straight
wins. Trinity falls to 2-1 with the loss in its home opener.
Keene State never trailed, although neither team scored for the
opening four minutes of the game, racing out to a 34-19 lead at the
break. Trinity made just eight field goals in 25 attempts in
the first half, while the Owls used five three-pointers in nine
tries to build its advantage.
"I thought we came out with a lot of energy, but didn't value
the ball enough in the second half and allowed them a chance to get
back in the game," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher. "Any road
win is a good win and it's nice to go into the break on a positive
note."
Trinity closed to with eight points in the second half thanks to
10 second-half points by sophomore guard Michelle Royals
(Torrington, Conn.), but finished 5-for-19 from long range
and 21-for-57 from the field overall in the defeat. The teams
combined for 41 turnovers.
Senior forward Nicole Simmler (Oxford, Mass.)
had her second consecutive double-double, recording 13 points and a
game-high 12 boards, while senior guard Alyssa Sapp
(Hartford, Vt.) added 15 points, four assists, and three
steals.
Royals also dished out a game-high five assists, while senior
tri-captain center Christine Card (Waterbury,
Conn.) grabbed nine rebounds, blocked two shots, and
joined Royals as the Bantam double-digit scorers with 10
apiece.
Keene State returns to the court Dec. 1 at Amherst
College. The Lord Jeffs were tied for second in the USA Today
ESPN poll.
