NEWTON, MASS. 2/8/13 – Senior Siobhan Carnell (Quincy, Mass.) scored 15 of her game-high 23 points in the second half to lead the Keene State College women's basketball team to a 60-52 non-conference win over Lasell College in Newton, Mass. on Thursday.

Carnell, who pulled down a team high 11 rebounds to post her third double-double of the season, hit several key free throws down the stretch to preserve the victory for the Owls.

Sophomore Christan Wojtas (Amherst, N.H.) also finished in double figures for KSC with 16 points. Sophomore Courtney Roberts  (Sutton, Mass.) added nine points and seven rebounds.

Freshman Molly Lauver (Cambridge, N.Y.) scored 17 points, sophomore Alexis Chappell (Springfield, Mass.) had 15 points and sophomore Danielle Autencio (Montville, Conn.) had a game high 15 rebounds to go with 10 points to lead the Lasers.

Winners of two straight, Keene State improves to 9-13. Lasell (9-13), has dropped five of its last six games.

A closely played first half featured four lead changes and two ties. Wojtas hit a jumper to the left of the circle with just over a minute to play, giving Keene State a slim 22-21 halftime lead. The Owls didn't help their cause by missing all but one of their eight three-point shots in the first half.

Keene State went up by five points (30-25) early in the second half, but couldn't hold the lead.

Trailing 47-46 after a pair of free throws by Autencio, Keene State took the lead for good (48-47) on a lay-up by Carnell with 2:39 to play.  Wojtas added to the lead with a jumper.  In the Lasers next possession, freshman Brianna Curran (Fairfield, Conn.) made a steal and fed freshman Laurie Allien (Medford, Mass.) for a breakaway lay-up, putting the Owls up 52-47 with1:47 to go.

Carnell put the game away with four consecutive free throws that made it a 57-49 game with 33 seconds remaining. 

Keene State outrebounded Lasell 41-36, taking advantage of 17 offensive rebounds.  The Owls won despite struggling from behind the arc (2-16, 13%) and hitting just 12 of their 21 (57%) free throw attempts.

Keene State returns home to face Western Conn. State on Sunday (1 p.m.).