PROVIDENCE, R.I.  1/8/11 – The Keene State College women's basketball team fell behind early and never recovered, falling to Rhode Island College 68-56 in a Little East Conference game played at the Murray Center on Saturday.

Keene State (4-7, 0-3 LEC) is still looking for its first LEC win of the season. RIC, which has won seven of its last eight games, improves to 10-2 and 2-1 in conference play.

The Anchorwomen jumped out to a 21-3 led with sophomore Samantha Hemmingway (Newport, N.H.) scoring the Owls' first field goal of the game at the 14:16 mark of the first half. KSC had no answer for junior Stephanie Coro (North Providence, R.I) who scored 13 of RIC's first 15 points.  She would finish with a game high 30 points. 

The Owls, who trailed by as many as 20 points, cut the deficit to 35-25 at the  half after junior Sara Laudano (North Haven, Conn.) hit a couple of free throws with two seconds to go before the break.

KSC couldn't put a dent in the Anchorwomens' lead, falling behind 20 (54-34) at the midway point of the second half.

Junior Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.) had 12 points and pulled down a career-high 17 rebounds to lead the Owls.  Laudano also finished in double-figures, netting 10 points.   KSC struggled in the shooting departing hitting just 18 of its 53 attempts from the field (34%), Although KSC knocked down five of its 12 shots from behind the arc (42%), they connected on just 15 of its 23 attempts from the line (62%). KSC also turned the ball over 24 times in the game.

Junior Rachel Riley (Coventry, R.I.) also had a strong game for RIC, finishing with 10 points and 10 rebounds. 

It doesn't get any easier for the Owls, who travel to Danbury on Tuesday to take on #25 ranked Western Conn. State University.