KEENE, N.H. 1/15/11 – Junior forward Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.) scored a career high 33 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Keene State College women's basketball team to its first Little East Conference win of the season, a 83-69 victory over UMass-Dartmouth at Spaulding Gym on Saturday.

Winning two games in a row for just the second time this season, Keene State improves to 6-8 (1-4 LEC).  UMass-Dartmouth (3-12, 0-5 LEC), which has dropped five straight, remains winless in conference play. 

"We were hitting our shots from the outside and that opened up the inside for me," said Cirillo, who hit 14 of her 23 shots for the field and also had five assists and four steals. "We made the extra pass today.  We needed this win today, but we have a long way to go."

"Courtney is the straw that stirs the drink," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher about Cirillo.  "She's a very tough match-up for teams.  She's strong and a great competitor."

The Owls built a big first half lead and hung on for the win. A 16-5 run capped off by a three-pointer from the corner by freshman Ashlee Moussette (Southampton, Mass.) pushed KSC's lead up to 16 points (28-12) at the nine minute mark. Later in the half, the Owls turned a UMD turnover into a jumper by sophomore Samantha Hemingway (Newport, N.H.) at the other end of the court to make it 37-19.  Cirillo had a big first half, finishing with 15 points and eight re- bounds.  Junior Sara Laudano (North Haven, Conn.) added 12 first half points for KSC who led 45-30 at the break.

After KSC scored the first five points of the second half to go up 50-30, the Corsairs ran off nine straight points to cut the Owls lead to 11 points (50-39) on a lay-up by freshman Erika Bornemann (Canton, Mass.).  The Corsairs continued to cut into the Owls lead. Five straight points by senior Tashauna Ashmeade (Hyannis, Mass.), the last coming on a conventional three-point play, made it 57-56 with 8:23 to play.

Moussette knocked down a three-pointer from the left side to put KSC up 67-62 with 5:49 to go. Following a steal by sophomore Siobhan Carnell (Quincy, Mass.), Laudano hit a three-pointer from the top of the key to give KSC a 10-point (72-62)cushion with 4:15 to go.

Laudano scored 17 points and Moussette finished with a season high nine points. Junior Meghan Farrell (Chester, Vt.) tied Cirillo for the team high with nine rebounds.  The Owls had the three-ball going, hitting nine of its 18 attempts (50%) from behind the arc.     

Ashmeade scored 20 points and pulled down 11 rebounds and Bornemann had 14 points and a game high 14 rebounds to lead the Corsairs.  Junior Stephanie Houtman (Bedford, Mass.) also chipped in with 14 points.

Both teams have LEC games on Saturday.  The Owls host Eastern Conn. The Corsairs return home to face UMass-Boston.