As the majority of Keene State students prepare for exams and await the end of the semester, student-athletes lie in wait as their regular seasons come to a close and the Little East Conference (LEC) tournament playoffs loom large.
For Keene State’s Men’s Lacrosse team, it enters the postseason with a record of 7-9 and 4-4 in conference play. The Owls are locked in as the fifth seed and are awaiting a matchup with fourth-ranked Massachusetts Maritime Academy. They will be seeking redemption after dropping their previous matchup against Mass. Maritime — the program’s first loss against the Buccaneers in school history.
Regardless of the opposition, Keene State Head Coach Mark Theriault said he knows the key to a deep postseason run will be discipline and execution, particularly in a high-stakes environment.
“First off, with the players, it’s all about execution,” said Theriault. “We need to make sure we’re not making many mental mistakes. On the coaching staff side, it’s about preparing them mentally, knowing the game plan, understanding matchups and making sure their heads are in the right place going into these games.”
Theriualt said a critical component to the Owls’ success will be defense. He added has seen mixed performances from his defensive unit, but he believes they can elevate their play.
“Our defense has been inconsistent,” he said. “Some games, we’re playing well, but others, we’re giving up goals that shouldn’t happen. If we can get a good defensive performance, it gives the offense more chances to score and loosen up.”
Another focus will be winning faceoffs, an area where Theriault said he feels his team has struggled.
“We need to figure out a way to get at least 50 percent of the faceoffs,” said Theriault. “That’s crucial, especially in the playoffs when possession matters so much.”
While the team will be on the road throughout the tournament, Theriault said he is confident his players will find motivation.
“Every team wants to play at home, but the guys are motivated; it’s playoff time,” he said. “The nice thing about the playoffs is that everyone starts 0-0. I don’t think the road factor will be a huge issue for us, we’re already pretty motivated.”
The women’s lacrosse team is entering the postseason with high hopes and a determined mindset, ready to make a deep run in the LEC tournament. The team, which finished the regular season with an 11-4 record and 5-2 in conference play, has hold of the fourth seed in the LEC tournament and will play sixth-seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth) in the first round.
Head Coach Travis Wyant emphasized that success hinges on the team’s ability to execute their game plan on game day.
“We can give them information, we can give them scouting reports, we can give them all this stuff, but where we win our games is at practice,” said Wyant, stressing the importance of effort during training and mental readiness leading up to game day.
Senior Captain and attacker Lola Smith, who is approaching her final playoff run, highlighted the excitement and motivation within the team.
“We’re so excited,” Smith said. “We have a whole new team, so really just talking to freshmen about how we shouldn’t be scared of any team. Every single team is beatable.”
With the pressure of it being her last chance for an LEC title, Smith is laser-focused on securing the championship.
“We’ve been talking about it since the beginning of the season, we are winning the championship.”
Smith said extra motivation comes comes from her little sister, sophomore attacker Hayden Smith.
“There’s no way my sister’s a sophomore and I’m not getting a ring,” said Lola Smith.
As Smith’s excitement fuels the team’s energy heading into the postseason, Wyant said that despite the high stakes, the team will not deviate from their established approach.
“Ultimately speaking, we are who we are heading into this point in the season,” Wyant said. “We’ve done a really good job of executing our game plans, and we’ll make slight adjustments, but we won’t change too much.”
Going from strength to strength, the Keene State Baseball team is poised to make a deep run in the LEC playoffs as they are currently first in the standings with two conference games left to play.
The team will enter the tournament in fine form, having picked up 10 victories from their last 11 games. The wins have certainly contributed to the team morale, and they do not plan on stopping, according to senior Captain and outfielder Shea Zina.
“We’ve been saying walking around with the swagger that we need to have,” said Zina. “We’ve got to keep competing and make sure that we’re not just hot for a few games, but that’s who we are. We just need to keep winning.”
The Owls’ bullpen has been a big factor in their recent success, Zina said. In their last two games, they held UMass Dartmouth to a combined one run. These strong performances off the mound will need to continue for the Owls to stay hot.
“Our pitching is strong, we have starters like Camden Thomas and Jake Jachym and really good guys coming out of the pen like Troy Brennan,” said Zina. “I definitely think we have a really good chance to compete and hopefully host the tourney this year.”
If the Owls remain where they are in the standings, they will be guaranteed a first-round bye as well as the opportunity to host in the LEC tournament. Despite the excitement that would come with hosting the tournament, Zina was adamant the team must take it game by game.
“We’ve got to play our best ball,” said Zina. “Whether we host those games or not, we know it’s win or go home. It’s just one game at a time and staying together.”
As the baseball team looks set for an exciting tournament season, the Keene State Softball team is focused on finishing strong and earning a spot in the LEC tournament. Currently sitting in sixth place with a 16-16 record and 5-7 in conference play, the Owls will look to secure victories in their last four conference games to secure their place.
Those games will be two massive doubleheaders away from home against UMass Dartmouth and Plymouth State University. Head Coach Haley Chandler believes the team has everything necessary to make the end-of-season push.
“We’re just trying to scoop up as many wins as possible,” said Chandler. “If we can get into that sixth spot or even the fifth spot, we’re going to try and get there. We’ve got to take care of our bodies and come out hot against UMass Dartmouth and Plymouth.”
Chandler said pitching will be key for the Owls’ playoff hopes. She emphasized that strong performances on the mound have allowed the team to build momentum.
“Our pitchers are huge for us,” said Chandler. “When they throw well, it makes our defense feel good, and then we feed off of that.”
Adding to the motivation to reach the playoffs is a senior class that is collectively putting together its best season yet. Chandler praised the players’ attitudes while emphasizing their readiness to meet the challenge.
“They’re dogs,” said Chandler. “They’ve been through a lot with this program, and this has been their best season collectively and individually. They lead by example and keep everyone focused.”
“This is what they want, and this is what they have wanted for years, ” said Chandler. “I think that they’ll be able to rise to the occasion because I’ve seen them do it.”
Elías Stowell Alemán can be contacted at
estowellaleman@kscequinox.com
