Keene State Women ready for Amherst College challenge

KEENE, N.H. 11/30/09 - One week after making its first ever appearance in the USA Today ESPN Division III Coaches' poll, the#22 Keene State College women's basketball team (4-0) will put its ranking to the test when it travels to Amherst College (3-0) on Tuesday night (7 p.m.) to play the Lord Jeffs, tied for second in last week's poll. 

How tough is Amherst College?  Just ask Keene State Coach Keith Boucher.  "They have a great system and very talented players, so we have our work cut out for us" said Boucher about the Lord Jeffs, who return all their starters from last year's "Final Four" team. 

Both teams posted impressive victories prior to the holiday break. The Owls are coming off a 66-50 win over Trinity while the Lords Jeffs trounced Mt. Holyoke 71-24.

"When you play a game like this, you just want an opportunity to be in the game in the last four or five minutes," said Boucher.  "You have to be at your best against a team of this caliber. Every possession is crucial."

A veteran team with four seniors in its starting line-up, Keene State is led by the tandem of Nicole Simmler and Kristin Degou.  After a slow start, Simmer has come alive, averaging 13 .0 ppg. and 11.5 rpg., in the Owls last two games.  The dependable Degou leads KSC in scoring (16.5 ppg.).  Alyssa Sapp is also scoring in double-figures (10.3 ppg.) while Jen Cleaveland (7.5 ppg., 6.0 rpg.) has provided the Owls with inside scoring and rebounding.  Freshman Amber Alberto (12.8 ppg.) has acclimated well as the team's point guard and sophomore Sara Laudano (14.3 ppg.) has lit it up so far from behind the arc.

Amherst, which has posted an incredible 56-7 (.888 winning pct.) record in G.P. Gromacki's two-year tenure on the bench, is led by junior All-America Jaclyn Daigneault (13.7 ppg., 5.7 rpg.) and sophomore forward Lem Atanga McCormick (10.3 ppg., 6.0 rpg.). 

Commenting on the school's web page, Gromacki says his team's goal this season is to win a National Championship.  Following the Lord Jeffs win over Mount Holyoke he said "it's great to see how far we've come in just three short seasons, if you watch us play, we look like a No. 1 team."

Since the two teams began meeting in 1999, Amherst leads the series 8-2.  The Owls, who lost to the Lord Jeffs 54-47 at Spaulding Gym last year, did post back to back wins over Amherst in 2005   (58-51) and 2006 (70-60).

Boucher and the Owls are looking forward to Tuesday's challenge at LeFrak Gymnasium. "These are the special games you want to play in and I know my team wants to play in this game," said Boucher.  "Hopefully we'll be up for the challenge."