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KEENE, N.H.- The Keene State College women's basketball team recovered from a one point halftime deficit for an 88-73 non-conference win over visiting Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) at Spaulding Gym on Tuesday night.
 
Keene State is now 6-0, the best start to a season since 1989-90. RPI falls to 2-4.
 
Ashley Clough led RPI with 16 points with seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Sam Krumbhaar had 14 points and fellow freshman Elizabeth Eckhardt had 13 with five boards. Martin finished with eight points, while Shaina Iton scored three points with a team-best nine rebounds. 

Kelsey Cognetta led four KSC players in double-figures with a season-high 17 points. She was joined by Sarah Kober and Sandi Purcell, who each chipped in 14, and Valerie Martin, who netted 10. Stephanie D'Annolfo stuffed the stat sheet with six points, nine rebounds, six assists, three blocked shots, and two steals. Kober pulled down nine boards, as KSC outrebounded RPI 48-39.
 
Keene State raced out to an early 13-2 lead as Purcell drilled three three pointers in the first four minutes. RPI pulled back within 15-12 with a 10-3 run spurred by seven points from Clough, a Keene native.  
 
Valerie Martin and LaKissa Martin traded baskets in the final minute of the first quarter as KSC finished with a 25-21 lead. RPI scored the first 10 points of the second quarter to take a 31-25 lead, but KSC pulled back as Cognetta knocked down a three and a pair of three throws. Amanda Petrow's layup with 27 ticks on the clock in the second quarter trimmed the RPI lead to 39-38 at halftime.
 
The Owls opened the second half by outscoring the Engineers 10-5 to take a 48-43 lead, but Martin and Sam Krumbhaar hit consecutive baskets to get within 53-52 before KSC ended the frame with a three point play from Kober and two free throws from Martin to lead 58-52 after three quarters.
 
Keene State continued to pull away in the fourth quarter, taking a 68-58 lead on Martin's layup with 6:28 to play, and going up 84-65 on Lydia Vital's free throw with 1:20 remaining.
  
Keene State begins Little East Conference play by hosting UMass Dartmouth at 1 p.m. on Saturday.  The Engineers will take on Anna Maria College on Saturday at the Courtyard by Marriott Tournament as Wesleyan University.