JILL VALLEY
KEENE, N.H. – Senior guard Jill Valley scored 19 points for the Owls as Westfield State dropped its season-opening women’s basketball game to Keene State, 78-74 on Tuesday night.
Emily McPadden led Keene State (1-0) with 24 points.
Westfield forced 30 Keene State turnovers and came up with 22 steals on the night, but Westfield opened the game a statistically improbable 1-33 from three point range before cashing in on several long range tries late.
Despite the cold-shooting night, Westfield trailed the Owls by a single point, 75-74, with 15 seconds to play after Valley drove to the hoop for an uncontested layup. After a pair of Keene free throws boosted the lead to 77-74, Valley got a good look at a three-point shot in the closing seconds that could not connect. Keene gathered the rebound and added another free throw for the final 78-74 margin.
Kirsy Segarra added 14 points and Kierra McCarthy 11 for Westfield.
Westfield (0-1) will be back in action this Friday and Saturday at the Brandeis Tip Off Tournament, with Westfield State facing RIC at 7:00 p.m. on Friday night. – Courtesy of Westfield State University Sports
