KEENE, N.H.  3/4/12 – Second seed Smith College overcame a 16 point deficit early in the second half to defeat top seed Keene State College 65-57 in the championship game of the ECAC Division III New England women's basketball tournament held at Spaulding Gym on Sunday.

The Owls, looking to win their first ECAC title since 2010, complete their season with a 19-10 record.  The Pioneers (23-6), who capture their first ECAC crown, set a program record for wins in a season.

Nursing a three point lead (21-18) at the 6:07 mark, Keene State went on a 14-2 run, capped off by a baseline jumper by senior Meghan Farrell (Chester, Vt.) that put the Owls up 35-20 with 19 seconds to play in the half.  Junior Devon Quattrocchi (Brewster, N.Y.) drilled a three-pointer as time expired to make it a 35-23 game at the half.

Keene State appeared in control early in the second half.  Senior Nikki Cote (Ashford, Conn.) made a steal at one end of the court and Farrell found junior Siobhan Carnell (Quincy, Mass.) down low for a lay-up. She was fouled on the play and hit the free throw to put the Owls up 42-26 three minutes into the half.

But the Pioneers found their way back into the game.  Using a full court press, Smith turned KSC turnovers into baskets, eventually taking the lead 45-44 on a lay-up by junior Amanda Zakoske (Jacksonville, Fla.) at the 10:10 mark of the half.

The lead changed hands six times before Smith took the lead for good with 6:21 to go.  Junior Lizzy BelBruno (Hanover, N.H.) made a steal that led to a basket by Zakoske that put the Pioneers up 56-54.

Senior Sara Laudano (North Haven, Conn.) hit one of two free throws to cut the lead to 56-55 with three minutes to play. 

Freshman Maddie Page (Arvada, Col.) fed freshman Paulina Solis (Santa Ana, Ca.) who beat the shot clock for a lay-up giving Smith a 58-55 lead.

Needing a stop, Keene State gave up a three-pointer to Solis that made it 61-55 with 1:09 to go.

Senior Courtney Cirillo (Windsor Locks, Conn.) hit a couple of free throws to make it a four point game (61-57) with 30 seconds left on the clock. But Smith sealed the win on free throws by Page in the closing seconds of play.

Cirillo had a game high 18 points to go with eight rebounds for Keene State.  Carnell scored 14 points and freshman Courtney Roberts (Sutton, Mass.) finished with 10 points for the Owls.

It was the final game of their Keene State careers for Cote, Cirillo, Laudano and Farrell.

Solis scored a team high 15 points and Page finished with 12 points and seven rebounds for the Pioneers.  BelBruno, who was named the most outstanding player of the tournament, had 11 points and four assists.

Keene State shot 36% (18-50) from the field, but hit just two of its seven three-point attempts (29%).  Smith shot 43% (25-53) and hit seven of its 22 attempts from behind the arc (32%). Both teams spent time at the line. The Owls were 19-23 (83%) while the Pioneers were 12-16 (75%). The Pioneers won the battle of the boards 36-31.

It was the first meeting between Smith and Keene State on the court since the 1983-84 season.