KEENE, N.H. 11/15/13 – The Keene State College women's basketball team opened its season with a 89-36 victory over Green Mountain (Vt.) College in a first-round game of the 18th annual KSC Tip-Off Tournament at Spaulding Gym on Friday night. 

Keene State (1-0) will play Endicott College in Saturday's championship at 3 p.m.

"It's nice to get the first game out of the way and get the freshmen some experience," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher.  "I think we had some pre-game jitters in the first half, but I thought in the second half we cleaned up our fouls and had a better flow on offense. We know it's going to be a lot tougher tomorrow."

For the record: senior Carly Kiernan (Topsfield, Mass.) netted the first basket of the season and freshman Stephanie D'Annolfo (Tyngsborough, Mass.) became the first newcomer to score for the Owls who raced out to a 13-1 lead.

The Eagles, who had just seven players, got a scare with nine minutes to go in the half when junior Amber Heath (Windsor, Vt.) went down with an injury. She later re-entered the game.

After making a steal, freshman Sam Murphy (Milford, Conn.) fed junior Christan Wojtas (Amherst, N.H.)for a lay-up  that put the Owls up 25-5.

Green Mountain didn't get it first basket until six minutes remaining in the half, a three-pointer by sophomore Allison Wadsworth (Northville, N.Y.). 

Junior Courtney Roberts (Sutton, Mass.) had 10 points and six rebounds, leading KSC to a 40-16 halftime lead it would never relinquish.

Roberts finished with 14 points and nine rebounds while freshman forward Sarah Kober (Easthampton, Mass.) had an impressive debut for the Owls, posting a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds. "I was a little bit nervous before the game, but once I got out there the nerves went away and I just played my game," said Kober.  "Being a new player I didn't know my role, but I hope to make a big contribution like the rest of the freshmen.  We have a really good bench."

Junior Megan Shaw (Franklin, Mass.), who knocked down three treys, had nine points while sophomore Kelsey Cognetta (Stamford, Conn.) and Murphy and D'Annolfo each finished with eight points.

Twelve of the 13 players who go into the game for the Owls score at least one point.

Heath scored a game-high 16 points, Wadsworth had 12 points and senior Virginia Anderson (Silver Springs, Md.) pulled down a game-high 11 rebounds for Green Mountain (0-1).

Keene State had its way on the glass, out-rebounding the Eagles by a wide 61-36 margin, including a 38-3 advantage on the offensive boards.   The Owls also had 21 assists on 34 baskets as well as 28 steals against the Eagles, who committed 44 turnovers in the game.

Keene State has won its opening tournament 16 out of the past 17 years.