Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Junior Kelsey Cognetta and sophomore Stephanie D'Annolfo each scored 14 points to lead the Keene State College Owls to a 68-57 win over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference women's basketball game Saturday afternoon at Hill Gymnasium.
With the win, KSC improves to 12-8 overall, 4-5 in the Little East and earns the program's second win at USM in program history in as many seasons. Southern Maine drops to 9-10 overall and 5-4 with the loss.
Cognetta, who was 2-for-11 from the field, was clutch from the free throw line. Sinking 10-of-14 overall, Cognetta made nine of 11 free throws in the final minutes of the game with the outcome in the balance. D'Annolfo was 5-for-10 from the field adding six rebounds, two assists and two steals. Freshman Sandi Purcell added 11 points, three assists, while sophomore Sarah Kober grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds to help the Owls to a 40-32 advantage on the glass.
Junior Ella Ramonas led the Huskies with 17 points. Seniors Rebecca Knight and junior Megan Pelletier each had 12 points. Knight had a team-high four assists, while Pelletier paced USM on the glass with eight rebounds despite missing much of the game in foul trouble.
Trailing 6-5, 3:18 into the game, the Owls strung together a 10-2 run in which four different KSC players scored to hold a 15-8 advantage. A Wojtas 3-pointer at the 10:22 mark gave Keene State their largest lead of the first half (24-16), but the Huskies closed out the opening period on a 15-4 run to lead 31-30 at the break.
Down 13 with 4:05 to play after one of two free throws from Cognetta, USM rallied to pull to within two possessions, 55-49, with 2:03 to play. Knight, Ramonas and Pelletier accounted for the Huskies 7-0 run. With time working against them, the Huskies were forced to foul and the Owls closed the game out at the charity stripe making 13-of-16 to earn the win and the series split on the season.
Keene State shot 37.5 percent (21-for-56) from the field for the game and a solid 71.9 percent (23-for-32) from the free throw line. Southern Maine finished the game shooting 37.8 percent (17-for-45) from the field and 79.2 percent (19-for-24) from the free throw line, but was slowed by a 22 turnovers. KSC scored 20 of its 68 points off of USM miscues.
Keene State hosts Rhode Island College on Saturday (1:00 p.m.) in a Little East Conference match up. Southern Maine heads to Colby College on Tuesday (5:30 p.m.) for a non-conference game.
