NORTHFIELD, Vt. – After winning their previous two games for their first two wins of their 2024-2025 season, the Keene State College women's basketball team took on Middlebury College on Friday night in the first game of the Ed Hockenbury Invitational. Both teams headed into halftime tied 31-31, but the Panthers outscored the Owls 43-28 in the second half to defeat KSC, 74-59.

Records

• Keene State: 2-5
• Middlebury: 6-1

How it Happened


Alexa Mustafaj opened the scoring for the panthers on the first possession, as she drilled a three-pointer 15 seconds into the contest. KSC responded right back with eight points over the next 1:52 of play as Brynn Rautiola converted on an and-one for the first three points. KSC locked down Middlebury on their next two possessions as Avery Stewart's block led to Ruby Dasaro making a layup on the other end of the floor, and a steal from Valerie Luizzi led to Dasaro hitting a three. The Panthers made a pair of field goals soon after, but after each of the baskets, Luizzi made one of her own with a layup and then a three as KSC lead 13-9 with 4:11 remaining in the first. The Owls last basket in the first came with 3:36 left in the quarter as Lilly Krysinski made a layup. The Panthers ended the quarter by scoring five points with Mustafaj ending the scoring in the first, just as she opened the scoring in the quarter, but this time with a layup to make the score 15-14 for KSC heading into the second.
 
Middlebury started the second quarter hot as they scored on their first three possessions and outscored KSC 7-2 as Samantha Lee scored the only basket for the Owls and the Panthers jumped to a five-point lead. Shortly after, Rautiola made a three and layup on back-to-back possessions as she evened the game up at 22. Over the next two minutes, both teams continued to trade baskets with Rautiola and Dasaro making field goals for KSC, while Keeley Baglio and Augusta Dixon scored for Middlebury to tie the game at 26 with 3:24 remaining in the quarter. The rest of the quarter, both teams scored five apiece with Stewart scoring all five, from a three and a layup for KSC as the teams headed into the half tied for the fourth time in the game.
 
The Panthers started to take control in the third quarter as they outscored the Owls 25-16 over the 10 minutes of play. Middlebury opened the quarter by scoring nine straight points over the opening 3:24 of play, with Kale Torwini leading the way with four of the points for the Panthers. Lee scored the first five points in the quarter for KSC, but with a pair of free throws from Mustafaj, Middlebury held a 42-36 lead with 4:46 left in the third. Middlebury increased their lead to 11 with three minutes remaining as they went on an 8-3 run with Dasaro logging the three points from KSC from a layup and by converting the free throw attempt on the foul shot. Both teams traded baskets back and forth the rest of the quarter, with Luizzi scoring four of the Owls eight points scored the rest of the way, compared to six from the Panthers, giving Middlebury a 56-47 lead heading into the final 10 minutes of play. 
 
The Owls tried to mount a comeback in the final quarter, but they were unable to as Middlebury outscored them 18-12 in the final quarter. Mustafaj once again opened the scoring in the quarter, just as she had done in the previous three as the Panthers increased their lead to 11. KSC was able to cut the lead down to eight with seven minutes remaining, but that was the closest that the Owls would get as Middlebury scored eight more in a row over the next three minutes. KSC scored five points the rest of the quarter as Rautiola hit a three and Morgan Gillis hit a jump shot late in the quarter as Middlebury held on for the 74-59 lead.
 
Inside the Paint

• With the loss, KSC still leads the all-time series between the two teams, 11-8, although Middlebury has won 5 in a row.
• Mustafaj led all scorers with 26 points, while Rautiola led the Owls with 18 points.
• KSC shot a perfect 7-for-7 from the free throw line, while Middlebury went 13-for-17.
• The Owls' 18 turnovers proved to be costly as they resulted in 24 points for Middlebury.

 
Up Next


Keene State plays Wellesley College in the consolation game of the Ed Hockenbury Invitational, on Saturday, December 7, at 12:30 PM, while Middlebury plays Norwich University after KSC's game in the championship of the invitational.