KEENE, N.H. 1/25/14 – Senior Carly Kiernan (Topsfield, Mass.) scored a game high 18 points on 8-11 shooting, and freshman Jovan Kingwood (Norwalk, Conn.) came off the bench to net 13 points, including 11 in the second half, to lead the Keene State College women's basketball team to a 60-56 Little East Conference win over UMass-Boston at Spaulding Gym on Saturday.

Snapping a four game LEC losing streak, the Owls improve to 9-7 (2-5 LEC).  UMass Boston (11-6, 3-4 LEC) saw its three-game winning streak come to an end.  "These conference games are like a heavyweight match. You got to fight for 40 minutes and I think we did that today," said KSC Coach Keith Boucher. "They're a big, physical team and we could have caved a couple of times, but we didn't. I thought the kids played their hearts out today."

Keene State College used a 10-5 run to close over the final 5:23 to post the much-needed conference win.

The two teams traded the lead eight times over the final 10 minutes; Kingwood took matters into her own hand. She went on a 6-2 run herself to give Keene State a two-possession lead and came up with a pair of key steals to seal the victory.

"I figured I could get a quick first step on their defenders and get to the basket. That's what I'm good at doing," said Kingwood, who also had four rebounds, four assists and two steals. "I just knew we just had to pick it up today.  We lost four games in a row and we were tied of losing.  It's about time we finished what we started."

"You don't realize how fast Jovan is until you play against her,' said Boucher.  "She can go from one end to another with anybody. That really helped us today."

Freshman Sarah Kober (Easthampton, Mass.) also finished in double figures with 10 points to go with seven rebounds while classmate Stephanie D'Annolfo (Tyngsborough, Mass.) pulled down a game-high 10 rebounds to go with six points and five assists.

Junior Kirsten Morrison (North Reading, Mass.) led the Beacons with 16 points and nine rebounds. Sophomore Olivia Murphy (Canton, Mass.) who had 27 points the last time the two teams met, was held to eight points.

Trailing most of the first half, the Owls finally caught the Beacons, tying the game at 18-all on a conventional three-point play by Kiernan at the 6:36 mark. Kiernan scored nine of Keene State's final 10 points of the half. UMass-Boston led 29-25 at the half.

The two teams traded baskets early in the second half, before D'Annolfo gave the Owls their first lead (43-42) with a three-pointer from the left corner at the 10:20 mark

Kingwood gave KSC a spark off the bench.  After going high to grab a rebound, she went coast-to-coast, making a lay-up that gave the Owls a 52-51 lead with 5:10 to play. Kingwood wasn't done.  She hit a drive off the wing and later stepped back and knocked down a three-pointer, putting the Owls up 58-54 with 3:14 to play.

The game was decided in the final minute of play. Making a steal, Kingwood raced down the court and found Kiernan for a lay-up that gave KSC a 60-56 lead with 30 second to go. Following a missed three-pointer by UMB senior Andrea Suffredini (Milford, Mass.), KSC was able to get the ball inbounds and run out the clock.

KSC shot 23-63 (36%) from the field, but hit just four of its 15 three-point attempts (27%) and went 10-21 (48%) from the line.  UMB went 16-51 (31%) from the field and 20-25 (80%) from the line, but also struggled behind the arc (4-20, 20%).

Keene State is at Plymouth State on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.).