Box Score WORCESTER, Mass. –
Brynn Rautiola recorded 27 points for the Keene State College women's basketball team, but it was not enough for the win as the Owls fell to Worcester State University, 63-54, as KSC moved to 0-4 to open their 2024-2025 season.
Records
- Keene State: 0-4
- Worcester State: 4-3
How it Happened
WSU jumped out to a 6-4 lead, 1:38 into the contest, with Abby St. Martin hitting a three for the Lancers and Katie Hurynowicz converting an and-one, while
Brynn Rautiola and
Valerie Luizzi each recorded a field goal for the Owls. Rautiola tied the game up at six apiece with 5:40 left to play in the first, but Hurynowicz hit a three a minute later to increase the Lancers' lead back to three. Rautiola single-handedly outscored WSU 9-3 the rest of the quarter to give KSC a 15-12 lead into the second quarter, coming from a pair of threes and converting on an and-one opportunity for the Owls.
KSC made baskets on their first two possessions of the second quarter as
Ruby Dasaro made a layup and
Angel Pillsbury made a three pointer, 59 seconds into the quarter. The Owls' lead reached nine points, with their 23-14 lead with 7:11 remaining, but the Lancers started to catch up and eventually tied the game up at 29 apiece heading into the half. Hurynowicz hit a three-pointer on back-to-back possessions for the Lancers as they cut the Owls' lead to three with 6:10 left in the second, but Dasaro hit a three of her own on the ensuing possession to increase the lead back to six. Neither team scored over the next two minutes until the Lancers scored seven straight points to jump out to a 27-26 lead with 1:33 left in the half. Rautiola hit her third three of the half with 30 seconds remaining, while St. Martin evened the game up at 29 with a few seconds left on the clock to send the game into halftime tied.
St. Martin started the third quarter, just as she ended the second, as she made a layup to give WSU the lead. Both teams continued to trade baskets over the start of the third, as
Kenzie Durnford assisted Rautiola for a three-pointer and
Samantha Lee made a layup for the Owls to tie the game up at 34. WSU went on to score 10 straight points over the next four minutes of play, with Hurynowicz making two threes and Lena Waldron making a pair of field goals for the Lancers. Both teams scored eight points apiece the rest of the quarter, with Luizzi making a two field goals, Dasaro making a pair of free throws, and
Lilly Krysinski making a layup for KSC as WSU took a 52-42 lead into the final 10 minutes of play.
The Owls cut the Lancers' lead from 10 to three with 7:13 remaining in the contest; Krysinski tallied three with a layup and later on a free throw, while Rautiola hit a three and later on a free throw to cut into the Lancers' lead. Hannah Lomonaco made a free throw for the Lancers soon after, but Rautiola answered right back with a pair of layups to tie the game up at 53 with 5:09 remaining. Unfortunately for the Owls, that was the closest they would get the rest of the game, as WSU went on a 10-1 run the remainder of the game to pick up the win. KSC went 0-9 from the field, including 0-5 from three the rest of the game as they were unable to come back again against the Lancers.
Inside the Paint
- With the loss, the Owls still lead the all-time matchup between the two programs, 10-7, but KSC has lost six of the seven most recent contests to the Lancers.
- KSC falls to 0-4 to open their season for the first time since the 2019-2020 season.
- Avery Stewart logged a game-high 10 rebounds for the Owls, while Rautiola scored a game-high of 27, as she shot 10-for-22 from the field, including 5-for-11 from three.
- Dasaro and Krysinski both scored eight points apiece off the bench in the contest.
- The Owls struggled at the free throw line, as they went 7-for-15 (46.7%), but WSU was not much better, as they went 8-for-15 (53.3%).
- Both teams shot 7-for-23 (30.4%) from three in the game.
- WSU recorded 17 assists in the game, while KSC only recorded nine.
Up Next
Keene State next plays on Sunday, December 1, at 1:30 pm, as they make the drive to take on Maine Maritime.
Worcester State will next play on Tuesday, December 3, at 7:30 PM, as the Lancers will host Springfield College.
