KEENE, N.H. –  For nearly three decades, the cornerstones of head coach Denise Bierly's teams have been defense and rebounding. So it was only fitting that both of those features were on display when the 28^th-year head coach recorded her 500^th career victory.

The defense of the Warriors limited Keene State College to single digits in three of four quarters and to an overall field goal mark under 20 percent and Eastern outrebounded an opponent by double figures for the fifth time this year in posting a 56-27 Little East Conference victory Monday night at Spaulding Gymnasium that represented the head coach's milestone victory.

Eastern's current longest-serving and winningest head coach and the conference's winningest active head women's basketball coach, Bierly (500-241) joins eight other active New England Division III women's basketball coaches with as many as 500 victories. She is one of six 500-win coaches in New England to have won all of their games at one institution, along with national and New England leader Andy Yosinoff at Emmanuel College, Judy Blinstrub at Babson College, Pat Glispin at Clark University, Kissy Walker at Husson University, and Pat Manning at Williams College.

In winning its last three conference games (all on the road), Eastern (9-8, 6-2 LEC) has allowed an average of only 35 points. the Warriors remained in second place in the LEC, 2 ½ games behind unbeaten LEC leader Rhode Island College (14-4, 9-0 LEC).

The Warriors carried a 12-point lead into the final quarter before outscoring Keene (4-10, 1-6 LEC), 21-4 over the final ten minutes in easing to its seventh straight and 18^th in their last 21 meetings with the Owls. The teams meet again Feb. 2 at Geissler Gymnasium.

Keene's top two scorers in the game combined for 13 points, while Eastern got a 35 combined points from top scorers Julie Keckler (Trumbull), Danielle O'Brien (Rockland, MA) and Jenna Serrantino (Cromwell), with five players grabbing at least five rebounds to power the Warriors to a +13 advantage on the boards.

Keckler had 14 points (6-of-11 from the floor), five rebounds and four assists, O'Brien (3-of-5 FG) 11 points and six rebounds and Serrantino (4-of-9 FG) ten points and five rebounds. The top free-throw shooting team in the LEC and second-best scoring defense squad, Eastern canned 11 of 12 free throws, with five players shooting perfectly from the stripe. The Warriors have now limited seven opponents to 50 or less points this season.

Bierly entered the season ranked 22^nd among active women's basketball coaches nationwide in victories.

After joining the Warriors as head coach for the 1994-95 season, Bierly brought a 3-22 team in the prior season to 10-16. In just her second season, the Warriors finished 19-9, winning the Little East Conference Championship and advancing to the NCAA tournament. After posting a .500 record in her third season, Bierly's women went 14 consecutive seasons with a winning record. She has twelve 20-win seasons in the past 20 years and has led the Warriors to back-to-back LEC tournament championships twice in the past six seasons.

Eastern returns home after winning three of four on the road by hosting Plymouth State University Saturday at 1 p.m.