WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – Senior guard Megan Cardarelli (Manchester) made her only points game-winning ones, scoring with an off-balance shot in traffic with 40.3 seconds and completing a go-ahead three-point play with a free throw as the Eastern Connecticut State University women's basketball team maintained a one-game lead in the Little East Conference with a 54-51 victory over Keene State College Wednesday night at Francis E. Geissler Gymnasium.

Keene State (15-3, 5-3 LEC) twice had opportunities to break the sixth and final tie of the game, but turned the ball over and missed a jump shot with a minute left. Eastern (14-4, 7-1 LEC)  senior forward Jill Ritrosky (Pittsfield, MA)  grabbed the rebound and got the ball to Cardarelli, who was fouled while sinking the go-ahead basket.

Trailing by the final three-point score, Keene missed its final four shots – three of them three-pointers, with the final the one coming after the Warriors  missed two free throws with 12 seconds left.

The 5-foot-9 inch Ritrosky's second rebound of the game with 5:41 left in the first quarter made her only the second player in the program's 45-year history to total 1,000 points and 1,000 rebounds.  She finished with eight rebounds.

Eastern, a winner over Keene State in nine of the last ten meetings, remained a game ahead of Western Connecticut and the University of Southern Maine in the standings, while Keene fell to fourth, two games back of the leaders.

The LEC leader in scoring (73.8), three-point field goals (6.9 per game) and three-point percentage (33.1), Keene was held under its season averages by the Warriors, who lead the conference in defense (53.2). The Owls missed 12 of 16 three-point field goals.

Junior guard Jordyn Nappi (Southington) of Eastern led all players with 15 points, senior forward Erin Books (Billerica, MA) adding 12 and junior guard Julia DePoi (Brookfield) 11. Brooks increased her LEC-leading field goal percentage to 63.2 by connecting on five of six tries. DePoi led all players with nine rebounds and three blocks, Ritrosky finishing with eight and Brooks seven.

Junior forward Stephanie D'Annolfo was Keenes's only double-digit scorer, totaling ten, with junior forward Sarah Kober pulling down a game-high eight rebounds.

Since winning its first 11 games, Keene is 4-3 and has lost its last two.

Eastern visits Rhode Island College Saturday at 1 p.m. in a conference game.