Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. –Keene State College junior guard Kelsey Cognetta (Stamford, Conn.) scored 14 of her game-high 20 points in the second half to help the Owls extend a two-point halftime lead with an 11-2 run and upset the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth women's basketball team 70-55 this afternoon inside the Tripp Athletic Center.
The Corsairs (18-7) earned a share of the Little East Conference regular-season title for the first time in program history, but the loss coupled with an Eastern Connecticut victory eliminated their opportunity to clinch the top-seed in the upcoming conference tournament. UMass Dartmouth secured the No. 2 seed and will host No. 7 seed Rhode Island College at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Keene State's (16-9) victory earned the Owls the No. 4 seed and a quarterfinal round home contest against No. 5 seed Southern Maine.
UMass Dartmouth shot 34.4 percent (22-for-64) from the field, 26.1 percent (6-for-23) from long range, and 50 percent (5-for-10) from the free throw line. Senior Kelsey Garrity (Somerville, Mass.) nearly posted a double-double with nine points and 10 rebounds, while classmate Erin Fahey (Salem, Mass.) scored eight points and pulled in six boards.
Keene State connected on 51.1 percent (23-for-45) of its attempts from the floor, 38.9 percent (7-for-18) from behind the three-point arc, and 65.4 percent from the charity stripe. The Corsairs were whistled for 22 fouls, which led to a decisive 17-for-26 advantage at the foul line. Cognetta was 6-for-10 from the field and 7-for-8 from the stripe to lead three players in double digits in scoring. Sophomore Stephanie D'Annolfo (Tyngsboro, Mass.) registered 12 point, eight rebounds and seven assists, while senior Christan Wojtas (Amherst, N.H. contributed 11 points. Junior Ryanne Williams (Norwell, Mass.) came off the bench to collect 10 rebounds to help the visitors control the boards by a 40-33 margin.
The first half was a tightly contested battle, with neither team able of gaining a strong command of the contest. The Owls built up a five point advantage in five separate occasions, marking the largest lead in the first. The Corsairs held the lead twice in the opening 20 minutes of play. At the four minute, seven second mark, Keohane connected on a jumper to push UMass Dartmouth ahead by one (19-18). After a D'Annolfo jump shot, Garrity drained a three-pointer to give the Corsairs their last lead of the game with a minute and 22 seconds left before the break.
Right before the intermission, Cognetta stole the ball and took the rock down the court for an easy layup to bump Keene State up by two (29-25) with 14 seconds remaining. Junior Beth Castantini (Newburyport, Mass.) immediately drove the ball up the left side of the court for a layup with four seconds left on the clock to cut the deficit in half (29-27) before the horn.
Following a two-minute scoreless drought to open the second half, Fahey knotted the game at 29-all when she sank a jumper from the baseline. The Owls proceeded to knock down three consecutive three-pointers, two from Wojtas and one from Cognetta, forcing Corsair head coach Matt Ducharme to call a timeout with 15 minute and 48 second left in the half.
After the timeout, sophomore Sarah Kober (Easthampton, Mass.) put in a pair of free throws to increase the visitor's lead 11 (40-29). UMass Dartmouth fought back, chipping the lead down to six (42-36) with 11 minutes and 50 seconds remaining.
Over the next three minutes, the Owls maintained control of the game, building up a 49-38 lead. The Corsairs once again crept back into the game, this time with a 7-0 run. Sophomore Bri Hochwarter (Attleboro, Mass.) jump started the surge when she nailed a trifecta off a feed from Fahey. Garrity capped the run by scoring the final four points in consecutive possessions for UMass Dartmouth. Following a missed layup on the other end, the senior drove down the middle of the lane and floated in a layup to bring the home team within six. After being sent to the line with a one-and-one opportunity, Garrity converted a pair from the stripe with six minutes and 37 seconds remaining to make the score, 49-45.
The Corsairs would not come any closer as the Owls went on a 21-10 run in the remaining five minutes and 16 seconds to close out the contest. In the final minute and 20 seconds, Keene State converted 8-of-12 from the stripe to earn the conference win.
Prior to the start of the contest, the UMass Dartmouth athletics department recognized its three seniors--Meghan Keohane (Mansfield, Mass.), Fahey, and Garrity--that were playing in their final home regular-season game.
For the complete 2015 Little East Conference Women's Basketball Championship bracket, please click here.
