KEENE, N.H. 1/9/10 - The Keene State women's basketball team withstood a late second half rally by Rhode Island College to post a 60-55 Little East Conference victory at Spaulding Gym on Saturday.

Improving its record to 8-3 and 2-1 in the LEC, Keene placed three players in double figures.  Senior guard Kristin Degou (Newburyport, Mass.) led the way with 14 points to go with eight rebounds, while seniors Nicole Simmler (Oxford, Mass.) and Alyssa Sapp (Hartford, Vt.) each finished with 13 points.   Senior forward Jen Cleaveland (Newington, Conn.) added a game high nine rebounds.

Sophomore forward Rachel Riley (Coventry, R.I.), who hit six of her seven shots from the field, led RIC (9-4, 1-2 LEC) with 12 points.  LaSheena Boyd (Stratford, Conn.,) three for four from behind the arc added nine points.

Rhode Island College took its largest lead of the first half (17-8) on a top of the key three-pointer by senior guard Alice Mullen (Saunderstown, R.I.) at the 8:55 mark.

After struggling from the field for most of the first half, Keene State took its first lead of the game with 1:23 to go.  Sapp hit a put-back shot and a free throw to put the Owls up 26-25.  Sapp followed with a coast-to-coast drive to account for 28-25 halftime score.

The Owls found the shooting touch early in the second half, taking a 19 point (55-36) lead on conventional three-point play, a lay-up and free throw, by sophomore forward Courtney Cirillo (Winsor Locks, Conn.) with 9:09 to go.

RIC rallied behind the three-point shooting of Boyd.  The senior guard hit three straight top of the key three-balls and Riley connected on a turn-around jumper to cut the Owls lead to two points with 1:12 to play.

Following a free-throw by Degou, Mullen, looking to tie the game, put up a three-pointer that bounced up in the air, went around the rim and dropped in the hands of Simmler.

Fouled on the play, Simmer hit a pair of free throws to put the Owls up 60-55 with 34 seconds to play.  Mullen and sophomore guard Stephanie Coro (North Providence) missed three-point shots in the closing seconds enabling KSC to hold on for the LEC win.

"In the second half, we pushed the ball up the floor and did some nice things," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher.  "Then the last seven minutes of the game the wheels come off.  We can't make shots and we're very careless with the basketball.   We were fortunate to survive today."

The Owls, who had 22 offensive rebounds in the game, had a wide 53-33 overall advantage on the boards.  

Both teams return to LEC play on Tuesday, Keene State hosts Western Conn. and Rhode Island College travels to Southern Maine.

To watch video highlights of the game click here.