WESTWEGO LA. 12/30/11 – What a difference a couple of days make for the Keene State College women's basketball team.  After scoring just nine second half points in Wednesday loss to No. 20 Mary Washington University, the Owls almost quadrupled their output in the first half against Plattsburg (N.Y.) State on Friday, scoring 32 points en route to a 67-57 victory at the Big Easy Challenge at the John A. Alario Event Center.

  "When you come back after two and a half weeks it's like starting all over again," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher.  "We had a little bit more rhythm today and moved the ball a little bit better."

"I thought as a team we came out with a lot more energy and intensity," said senior guard Sara Laudano (North Haven, Conn.).  "We were flat the other day. We were more aggressive and moving the ball and getting easier shots.  "We didn't want to come home 0-2."

Senior Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.) filled up the score sheet, finishing with a double-double with 20 points and 13 rebounds to go along with four assists and three steals.  "The other day I was in a slump, so I knew I had to turn it up today," she said. 

The Owls used a 16-6 run late in the first half to take a 35-21 halftime team.  After stealing the ball, Cirillo found a streaking Laudano who went in for an uncontested lay-up in the closing seconds of the half for the Owls final points before the break. Cirillo had 13 first half points for the Owls (7-2).

The Cardinals, who connected on seven of their 10 shots from behind the arc in the second half, used the three-point shot to get back in the game.  A lay-up by freshman guard Brittany Marshall (Malone, N.Y) cut KSC's to five points (43-38) at the 13:56 mark of the second half.  The Owls responded with a mini 13-3 run, going back up by 15 (56-41) on a jumper by senior Meghan Farrell (Chester, Vt.) with 9:57 to play. 

"We didn't shoot well from the perimeter, but we really hurt them in the paint, scoring 28 points," said Boucher   "That was one of our focus points."  

In addition to Cirillo, junior Sioban Carnell (Quincy, Mass.) with 15 points and Laudano with 13 points also finished in double figures for KSC.  Freshman Sarah Phelan (Northbridge, Mass.) came off the bench to knock down all four of her attempts from the field to finish with nine points. 

Marshall, who connected on four three-pointers, had a game high 21 points for Plattsburgh (4-5).  Sophomore Brooke Reifinger (Oswego, N.Y.), who hit all three of her attempts behind the arc, had 16 points while senior Kerri Salisbury (Staten Island, N.Y.) who was 3-4 in three-pointers, had 10 points.  The Cardinals knocked down 12 of their 18 shots (67%) from three-point land in the game. Sophomore Kathleen Payne (Goshen, N.Y.), who came into the game averaging 23 points a game, was held to just six points. 

Keene State dominated the glass, outrebounding Plattsburgh 42-25, including a 13-4 margin on the offensive boards. 

The Owls will get a chance to do a little more sight-seeing around New Orleans before heading home on Sunday.  Keene State's next game is at Southern Maine on Saturday, Jan. 7.