KEENE, N.H. 1/2/13 – Senior Siobhan Carnell (Quincy, Mass.) scored 21 points and pulled down a career high 12 rebounds to lead Keene State College to a 66-60 win over Worcester State College in non-conference women's basketball action at Spaulding Gym on Wednesday night.

It was the third game in as many days for the Owls, who improve 5-6 on the season. "We played three games in three days. I never seen that happen at this level," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher.  "The kids gutted it out.  This was a grinder.  They worked hard to get a win." 

Sophomore Christan Wojtas (Amherst, N.H.) finished with 18 points, hitting six of her eight three-point attempts. 

Senior Meaghan O'Keefe (Warren, Mass.) had game high 23 points and 13 rebounds to lead the Lancers (4-8). 

The Lancers scored the first nine points of the game, going up 9-0 on a lay-up by O'Keefe a couple of minutes into the game.  

Freshman Kelsey Cognetta (Stamford, Conn.) found freshman Ryanne Williams (Norwell, Mass.) cutting to the basket on an inbounds play, giving KSC its first lead 15-14 with 9:26 to go in the half.

The Lacers came back to take the lead, going up 28-21 on a pull-up jumper by sophomore Julie Frankian (Millbury, Mass.).   Worcester went to the locker room with a 30-25 lead.

Keene State opened the second half with a 7-0 run, taking a 32-30 lead on a driving lay-up by Carnell at the 17:05 mark.

Cognetta ignited another KSC spurt.  She made a steal and fed sophomore Nikki Stacy (Uxbridge, Mass.) for a basket and then hit a couple of free throws in the Owls' next possession.  Sophomore Christan Wojtas (Amherst, N.H.) knocked down a three-pointer from the left of the circle, her six of the game, to give Keene State a 59-45 lead with 3:36 to play.

Carnell continued to battle on the boards.  She grabbed an offensive rebound and was fouled putting up a shot.  Carnell hit both shots from the line to put KSC up 61-50 with 2:06 to play.

"My jump shots weren't falling today, so I tied to focus on hitting the boards," said Carnell, who was also 11-11 from the line.  "I just wanted the ball and went after it."  

"Siobhan doesn't have a lot of meat on her bones, but she's tough," said Boucher.  She's having a great senior year and I can't be any happier for her."

Sophomore Kelli McPherson (Mansfield, Mass.) made things interesting, hitting a deep three-pointer with 1:06 to go to cut the Owls' lead to 62-56.   Stacy and O'Keefe traded free throws to make it a 63-57 game with 15 seconds to go.  After Williams hit a free throw, sophomore Kara Rogers (Lowell, Mass.) connected on a three-pointer to make it a four point game (64-60) with 6.4 seconds on the clock.

Carnell sealed the win with a pair of free throws. 

Recently moved into the starting lineup, Stacy had 10 points while Williams finished with nine points, six steals, and two blocks.

Frankian also scored in double figures for the Lancers, finishing with 12 points to go with five rebounds.

KSC shot 35% from the field (20-57), hit eight of its 17 three-point shots (47%) and was 18-13 (78%) from the line.

Worcester State out-rebounded the Owls 39-33. The Lancers shot 42% (24-57) from the field, hit seven of their 16 three-point shots (44%) and were 5-6 from the line (83%)

Keene State returns to Little East Conference play on Saturday, hosting Southern Maine in a 1 p.m. game.