KEENE, N.H. 2/12/11 – Senior Melissa Teel (Hamden, Conn.) registered a double-double with a game high 22 points and 15 rebounds to go with six blocks and senior Heather Lee (Seymour, Conn.) finished with 16 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Western Conn. State University women's basketball team to a 68-44 Little East Conference win over Keene State College at Spaulding Gym on Saturday.

Junior Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.) posted her 10th double-double of the season for the Owls with 17 points and 10 rebounds.  Junior Sara Laudano (North Haven, Conn.) also finished in double figures for KSC with 16 points.

Keene State (10-13, 3-9 LEC) dropped its fourth straight game.  The Owls are in fifth place in the LEC standings with two league games to play.  WestConn.,(19-3, 11-1) which received votes in latest USA Today/ESPN Division III Coaches' Poll, won its fifth straight and moves back into first place in the LEC with Southern Maine's 69-57 loss to Rhode Island College.

Keene State opened up an early 17-6 lead on a conventional three-point play by junior Cirillo at the 12:28 mark. Western Conn. went on a 15-6 run, taking a 21-20 lead on a nice inside pass from Karli Spera (Waterford, Conn.) to Teel with 3:29 to go.

The Colonials scored the final 15 points of the half to take a 32-20 lead at the break.  Junior Stephanie Slonski (Griswold, Conn.) hit a put-back basket at the buzzer for WCSU. Teel had a double-double in the first half with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Cirillo had 10 first half points for the Owls.

Cirillo ended a nine minute scoring drought by the Owls with a couple of free throws at the 17:28 mark of the second half.  KSC got the Colonials lead down to eight points 38-30 when freshman Ashlee Moussette (Southampton, Mass.) was fouled making a three-point shot. She hit just one of her three free throws with 14:13 to go.

WCSU answered with a 12-0 run, going up 50-32 on three straight points by sophomore Jackie Zilnicki (Riverhead, N.Y.) with 9:12 to play.  

After a hot start, the Owls struggled from the field, hitting 13 of 46 shots (28%).  Western Conn. controlled the boards, outrebounding KSC by 50-33 margin, including 23-9 advantage off the offensive glass.

The game was played with a pink ball as KSC and WCSU participated in a Pink Zone/WBCA game to raise money for the Kay Yow breast cancer fund.   

On Tuesday, Keene State visits rival Plymouth State University and the Colonials host eastern Conn. Both games begin at 5:30 p.m.