Junior forward Hayley Kenyon leads Keene State women’s soccer in goals scored
Dalton Charest
Equinox Staff
Hockey legend Wayne Gretzky once said that you miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take. Keene State College women’s soccer player Hayley Kenyon’s four-goal game against Framingham State sure would have made the Great One proud.
In a decisive 7-2 victory over Framingham State, junior forward, Kenyon, tied a school record in the first half of the game finding the back of the net four times. A performance that has been described as tenacious and awe-inspiring by her teammates, coaches and spectators, Kenyon proved to be the KSC Women’s team’s most dangerous scorer.[singlepic id=1304 w=320 h=240 float=right]
The last player to net four goals in a game for the KSC women was Katie Bradford during the 2010 season.
Being the top scorer on the team with 11 goals this season, the Exeter, R.I. native has come into her own since her first season on the team. Head Coach Denise Lyons said Kenyon has really built her game into one of strength and speed, and described Kenyon’s four-goal as a phenomenal achievement for a player.
“She worked really hard her freshman year in the spring, got really strong, put on some muscle and came back a totally different player,” Lyons said. “It was great to see. She’s got a lot of speed and quickness. As the season went on she just excelled with great speed and when we moved her up she’s just been phenomenal. Just unbelievable right now.”
In the game against Framingham State, Kenyon’s success with putting the ball in between the pipes as fast as lightning was described by Kenyon as something she didn’t even realize was happening.
“To be honest, I had no idea that, that was the school record,” Kenyon said.
“I was just playing. It didn’t really phase me that I had gotten four goals, I just kept playing.”
Kenyon’s performance earned her Athlete of the Week at KSC, an achievement she’s never won before in her time with the women’s soccer program.
She attributed the success to not only herself, but her team as well remaining humble and gratifying.
“It’s a huge accomplishment for me,” Kenyon said. “I’ve never gotten Athlete of the Week before from Keene before this year so it’s a huge honor for me and it’s also an honor for my teammates because they’ve been helping me with my success.”
Teammate and newcomer to the team this year, midfielder Beverley Cole, said that Hayley’s success has been due to more to the fact that the goal-scoring forward is the hardest worker on the team.
“Hayley’s the person on the team I’d say works hardest,” Cole said.
Cole added, “Her little motto is work 110 percent not just in games but in practice as well. I think it’s safe to say that everyone on the team looks up to her in that way and everyone tries to emulate her.”
The KSC Women’s Soccer team has found their chemistry according to Cole.
One great example that also attributes much to the success of the team is the on-field connection the Kenyon and Cole have developed obtaining the team nickname “the Dynamic Duo,” according to members of the team.
Cole said Kenyon is a skilled player that shares similar soccer instincts with her when going down field on the attack.
“On the field, I know her instincts and I can tell what she’s going to do with the ball,” Cole said.
“It’s good to play off her because she’s really good and technically skilled on her own but she’s also a really good team player. We’re able to connect on the field, develop the play and make something happen.”
Kenyon said their success has been as simple as just dressing the part.
“I’ve worn this white head band the past few games and Bev [Cole] said every time she looks up she can see my white band and can know I’m there,” Kenyon said.
“She says she’s always wide so I know she’s going to be there so I know she’ll be over in the corner where she’s suppose too be and I will just feed her and she’ll be there crossing back in and I’ll get her ball.”
Lyons continued to talk about how Kenyon’s success has made the team come into their own after a rough start to the season.
“Hayley has really developed as a player to know when to take the high percentage shot,” Lyons said. Lyons added, “She’s a very smart player, very intelligent player, knows when to take a player on, when to pass the ball off and I think has just stepped right into this role up top and is just a goal scoring machine so I’m excited about that.”
Captain and center back Kelsie Bailey said Kenyon is someone who has helped the defense do their job this with the cushion of goals they’ve been able to work with and is relieved to have the speedy forward on her side.
“It feels good being able to work ourselves in defense and we do our job and she’s able to her job as a forward,” Bailey said.
“I wouldn’t want to be playing against Hayley Kenyon. She would be a hard person to mark so I’m happy she’s with me.”
The KSC Women’s Soccer program is looking ahead this season as it begins to accumulate consecutive wins under its belt. Kenyon said that if the team continues to do what it does best with confidence and grace following the coaches instruction, the players come out of the rest of their games on top.
“We just got to get in that rhythm, get in the groove and figure out how to take down teams,” Kenyon said. “[Lyons] tells us every game what team weaknesses are. We just need to follow that, listen to what she’s saying and we’ll be able to win.”
The Owls are looking ahead to the last five games of the season as its next game against UMass-Amherst, a nationally ranked team, should prove its worth.
Dalton Charest can be contacted
at dcharest@keene-equinox.com
