Box Score

WALTHAM, Mass. – Westfield State University sophomore Jill Valley (Orange, Mass./Mahar) hit a dramatic lay-up with 4.7 seconds left in regulation to give the top-seeded Owls their first lead of the second half and escape with a 62-61 victory over Keene State College in the semifinals of the ECAC Division III New England Women's Basketball tournament.

With the win, WSU improves to 24-5, setting a school-record for wins, and advances to their first ECAC title game tomorrow, where they will meet sixth-seeded host Brandeis. KSC ends it campaign at 18-11.

Westfield State trailed 33-23 at half, but to their credit never let Keene State pull away in the second. WSU got within three points early in the half but never any closer until the final stretches.

Keene State went ahead, 58-52, on a Courtney Roberts (Sutton, Mass./Sutton) lay-up with 2:48 to go. She was fouled in the process, but was unable to convert the free throw, a sign of things to come. From that point on, the Owls didn't hit another field goal and hit just three of their last nine foul shots.

Valley started the comeback on a layup on a feed from classmate Kirsy Segara (Holyoke, Mass./Holyoke) with 1:37 to go. After Keene hit just one of three from the line on their next possession, Segara made it a two-point game with 1:02 left in regulation.

After WSU called timeout, the Owls got a steal from senior Jen Ashton (Beverly, Mass./Beverly). They worked the ball around until Valley was able to get to the hoop. Her lay-up was off the mark, but junior Forbasaw Nkamebo (Amherst, Mass./Amherst Regional) was there for the put-back, tying the game at 60-all.

Keene State was able to get the line with 14.7 seconds left, but Roberts missed the first of two shots. She hit the second, giving the Owls a 61-60 lead. They called timeout after the make. Out of the break, the ball was inbounded to Valley, who streaked down the court, dribbled to the left of the lane and hit a short shot off the glass to give WSU its first lead since 7:10 of the first half.

Keene called their final timeout, but Ashton stole the inbounds pass. Despite KSC getting called for an intentional foul, the lower seeds still had a chance to rally. Ashton missed two free throws and Westfield committed a turnover on the ensuing inbounds pass, but Keene State was unable to corral the ball to get it up court.

Each team had three players score in double figures and produce one double-double. For WSU, Ashton and Valley led all players with 18 points each, combining for 25 in the second half. Nkamebo had 12 points and a team-high 12 rebounds. FOR KSC, Roberts tallied 15 points – 10 in the secod half – and led all players with 14 rebounds – six offensive. Ashton aslo had six steals, while Alyssa Darling (Palmer, Mass./Palmer) had a game-high four assists.

Keene senior Christan Wojtas (Amherst, Mass./Souhegan) added 13 points, nine in the first half, while junior Kelsey Cognetta (Stamford, Conn./Stamford) finished with 11 points and team-high three assists.