TROY, N.Y. – The Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) women's basketball team got 20 points and 10 rebounds from junior Sarah Wetmore and the Engineers defeated Keene State, 66-50, in the season opener for both teams. Wetmore (Sudbury, MA / Lincoln Sudbury Regional), a guard who missed last season due to an injury, had six offensive rebounds and added an assist in her 36 minutes of action.
RPI trailed by six points (29-23) at halftime and by as many as 10 (33-23) early in the second half before rallying to the 16-point victory. The Engineers forced 16 turnovers with eight steals, while holding the Owls to 38.1% (8 for 21 shooting) in the second frame. Wetmore had nine points and five rebounds, while senior guard Lauren Hayes (Rensselaer, NY / Columbia) scored 15 points on 6 of 9 shooting. She was 3 for 6 from three-point range.
Overall, Hayes finished with 16 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Senior guard Linda Larsen (Kobenhavn V., Denmark / Himmelev) added 10 points and freshman Kyleigh Oliveira (Agawam, MA / Agawam) had eight points and five rebounds in her collegiate debut.
For Keene State, junior guard Sara Laudano (North Haven, CT/North Haven) had team-bests of 17 points and 11 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end. Freshman guard Emily Winskowicz (Topsfield, Mass./Masconomet) added 12 points and nine rebounds, including 10 points and seven rebounds in the first half. Junior Meghan Farrell (Chester, VT/Green Mountain) also reached double digits, scoring 12 points with six rebounds.
Both teams played strong defensively throughout the contest, with RPI shooting 31.5% from the field (23 of 73) and Keene State making 32.7% (18 of 55) of its baskets. The Engineers forced 25 turnovers with nine steals, while the Owls forced 16 turnovers with seven steals.
Rensselaer is back in action on Saturday when it plays the top-ranked team in the nation, Amherst, in the Lord Jeffs' own tournament. Tip off is 8pm. Keene State plays Maine-Fort Kent on Friday at 3pm in the Adrenaline Circuit Tip Off Tourney.