KEENE, N.H. 2/11/13 – Keene State College's second half comeback came up short in a 54-48 loss to Western Conn. State University in a Little East Conference women's basketball game played at Spaulding Gym on Monday night.

Trailing 37-23 at the half, the Owls closed the gap to one point with 4:26 to go, but wouldn't get any closer.  The game originally scheduled for Saturday, was a "Think Pink" event with proceeds going to the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.

Senior Siobhan Carnell (Quincy, Mass.) had a team high 12 points for the Owls (9-14, 3-9 LEC), who saw their two game winning streak come to an end. Freshman Ryanne Williams (Norwell, Mass.) pulled down a team high nine rebounds to go with nine points.

Senior Jackie Zilnicki (Riverhead, N.Y.) scored a game high 15 points and senior Nicole Eanniello (Danbury, Conn.) finished with 14 points to lead the Colonials (17-6, 9-3 LEC).  Senior Carly Murphy (Wolcott, Conn.) also had nine points and a team high eight rebounds.

Western Conn. gradually pulled ahead of the Owls, taking a 32-19 lead on back-to-back three pointers by Zilnicki with 2:25 to go in the half.  Eanniello knocked down a three-pointer at the buzzer to send the Colonials to the locker room with a 37-23 halftime.   WCSU got many of its points on put backs. They collected 19 rebounds with 10 of them coming off the offensive glass.

Keene State scored the first eight points of the second half. Sophomore Christan Wojtas (Amherst, N.H.) knocked down consecutive three-pointers to cut the Owls' deficit to 37-31 at the 14:48 mark.

Held scoreless for the first six minutes of the half, WCSU broke the drought on a layup by Zilnicki. 

KSC kept the pressure on the Colonials.  Freshman Brianna Curran (Fairfield, Conn.) hit a three-pointer from the left of the circle to cut the lead to 44-41 at the 6:40 mark.  Carnell later found freshman Williams down low for a lay-up to make it a one point game (46-45) with 4:26 to play.

Struggling from the outside, WCSU went inside to get a basket by freshman Sha'Quira Palmer (Stratford, Conn.), pushing its lead back up to six (51-45) with 1:51 remaining.  Murphy and Eanniello knocked down free throws in the closing seconds enabling the Colonials to hold off the Owls. 

KSC had a slim 40-37 rebound advantage. 

WCSU put 39 three-pointer, hitting eight of them (21%).

Both teams return to action on Wednesday.  The Owls travel to Eastern Conn. and the Colonials return home to face Rhode Island College.