Keene State College Women’s Soccer traveled to the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth (UMass Dartmouth) on Saturday, Sept. 19, and returned home with a 1-0 victory. The win marked the Owls’ first Little East Conference (LEC) victory of the season, improving their record to 3-3-1 overall and 1-1-0 in conference play.
Keene State came out aggressively to start the match, registering eight shots during the opening 20 minutes. Three of those attempts were on target, but the Owls could not capitalize on their early opportunities. The pressure continued throughout the first half, with Keene State entering halftime in a scoreless tie.
The Owls maintained their attacking effort after the break, generating several chances early in the second half. First-year goalkeeper Michaela DiCiccio remained steady in goal, making several key stops to keep the game tied.
Keene State finally broke the deadlock in the 67th minute. Junior midfielder Kaylee Cormier won a loose ball and played it to senior midfielder Elizabeth Tschudin, who carried the ball toward the box before sending a pass ahead to sophomore midfielder Mikayla Ryan. Ryan finished the opportunity for her first goal of the season, putting the Owls ahead 1-0 with just over 23 minutes remaining.
After taking the lead, DiCiccio and the Keene State defense withstood the Corsairs’ efforts to level the score. DiCiccio finished the match with five saves and recorded her second consecutive shutout. She has now gone 192:33 without allowing a goal.
Tschudin continued her recent offensive production with an assist, marking her third consecutive game with a point. The Owls finished the match with advantages in shots, 20-9, shots on goal, 9-5, and corners, 4-2.
Keene State returns home Saturday, Sept. 26, to face the University of Massachusetts Boston at 7 p.m. for another LEC match.
Lauren Bender can be contacted at
lbender@kscequinox.com
