MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Junior guard Kelly Donnelly's layup with 1:49 left in regulation and solid defense lifted the Skidmore College women's basketball team to a 53-51 victory against Keene State in the first game of the Wesleyan Tournament Friday night.
 
The Thoroughbreds improve to 3-3 on the season, and will take on host Wesleyan in the championship game at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Keene State falls to 3-3 with the loss.
 
Down two with just under two minutes to go, the Thoroughbreds forced an Owls miss, then junior guard Ari Fustini fed Donnelly for the fast break bucket to tie the game. Donnelly later pick pocketed the Keene State ball handler, then coasted for the game-winning layup.
 
Donnelly tallied her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 23 points on 9-for-17 shooting from the field, adding 11 rebounds. Fustini added eight points and four assists, while sophomore guard Haley English added seven points.
 
Guard Sandi Purcell led the Owls with 15 points, adding four rebounds. Fellow guard Lydia Vital added nine points, four rebounds, and three assists.
 
Skidmore's defense stood tough in the second half, forcing Keene State to just 26.9 percent shooting (7-for-26) from the field. The Owls out-rebounded the Thoroughbreds by a slim 41-39 margin.