KEENE, N.H. – Junior Beth Castantini (Newburyport, Mass.) scored a career-high 24 points, including five three-pointers, to help the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth outlast Keene State College 74-72 this afternoon in a Little East Conference women's basketball game inside Spaulding Gymnasium.
The Corsairs raised their overall record to 10-4, including 4-1 in the conference circuit, while the Owls slipped to 9-5 and 2-3.
Castantini was 7-for-12 from the field, including 5-for-8 from behind the three-point arc, to lead three players in double digits in scoring. She also pulled in four rebounds and handed out an assist in 30 minutes of action. Senior Kelsey Garrity (Somerville, Mass.) scored 13 of her season-high 19 points in the second half, while sophomore Megan Ronaghan (North Attleboro, Mass.) produced 12 points and five boards. Senior Meghan Keohane (Mansfield, Mass.) collected a team-high seven rebounds as the visitors lost the battle on the glass, 44-38.
Kelsey Cognetta powered the Keene State offensive attack with a game-high 23 points, on 9-for-21 from the floor. Christan Wojtas also reached double figures in scoring with 15 points, including 5-for-12 from long range. Stephanie D'Annolfo nearly posted a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds, while Sarah Kober also snagged 11 boards.
The Owls raced out of the gates, taking their largest lead of the half, 9-3, less than four minutes into the contest. UMass Dartmouth began to find its offensive rhythm against the 2-3 zone, outscoring its host 11-4 to take its first lead of the contest. Neither team was able to build a lead larger than a possession until nine seconds remaining in the half, when Keene State knocked down a pair of free throws to give the Owls a 30-26 halftime lead.
The hosts began the second half the same way they started the first, jumping out to an eight-point lead (44-36) less than six minutes into the stanza. UMass Dartmouth responded with a 16-2 run to take an advantage they would never relinquish. Sophomore Bri Hochwarter (Attleboro, Mass.) and Garrity capped the decisive run with back-to-back three-pointers.
The visitors looked to be cruising to their fourth conference victory of the season, extending their advantage to 11 points (61-50) with a triple from Castantini. However, Keene State whittled its deficit to one possession, 67-64, followed by a three-pointer by Wojtas. The Corsairs were able to keep their hosts at-bay down the stretch, converting 9-of-10 from the foul line. Castantini made four consecutive free throws over the final 16 seconds to push the visitors lead back to two possessions.
UMass Dartmouth will return to action at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20, when the Corsairs host Little East Conference intra-state rival University of Massachusetts Boston.