PLYMOUTH, N.H.--Senior Kelsey Cognetta (Stamford, Conn.) sank the go-ahead layup with 2:10 remaing to lift the Keene State College women's basketball team to a 60-57 win over Plymouth State University in Little East Conference action on Tuesday night.

The Owls opened the game on a 7-0 run, capped by a three-pointer by junior guard Christan Wojtas (Amherst, N.H.), but Plymouth State responded with a 14-5 run of their own to give the Panthers their first lead of the game.

A buzzer-beating layup by senior forward Carly Kiernan (Topsfield, Mass.) gave the Owls a one point lead heading into halftime with a 28-27 lead.

Wojtas caught fire quickly to start the second half, going 4-for-4 from the field including two triples in the first six minutes of the second frame. Even with her hot shooting, the Owls struggled to break away from the home Panthers.

The score was stuck at 41-39 for more than two minutes until a steal by freshman Stephanie D'Annolfo (Tyngsboro, Mass.) led to an easy Kiernan breakaway layup.

Stout Keene State defense kept the Panthers scoreless for nearly five minutes midway though the first half.

Both teams traded buckets over the final few minutes. The Panthers took a 47-46 lead on a jumper with 5:46 remaining in the game, but 15 seconds later sophomore guard Kelsey Cognetta (Stamford, CT) hit a pair of free-throws to fight off what would end up being the Panthers' final lead of the game.

A pair of Panther free-throws at the 2:46 mark tied the game again, this time at 52, but Cognetta's layup put KSC in front for good.  The Owls scored eight of the game's final 13 points, leading 60-54 before PSU's Taylor Perry connected on a three in the final seconds.

Wojtas led the Owls with a game-high 18 points on 7-15 shooting, 4-11 from deep, to go with six rebounds and two steals. Kiernan chipped in 15 points and six rebounds, while Cognetta rounded out the Owls in double figures with 11 points, seven of which came in the second half.

"We were kind of flat in the beginning," Wojtas said of the slow start. "Coach says we need to make three good plays individually, and I just tried to do that to start the second half."

"I wouldn't take that win to prom," Coach Keith Boucher said after the Owls second straight win. "We didn't play well tonight, and somehow we found a way to win. The last couple games we've been showing mental toughness, and that was key down the stretch. Conference wins aren't easy, especially on the road."

The Owls (10-7, 3-5 LEC) return home for a non-conference matchup with Daniel Webster Thursday.  Plymouth State (2-14, 1-7 LEC) will finish its streak of seven straight LEC opponents Saturday when they travel to Eastern Connecticut State University.