Keene State Field Hockey bounced back at home in a 5-2 victory over the University of Southern Maine (USM), putting a 10th game in the win column following a pair of losses.
The October 5 game started on a promising note for the USM Huskies, with the team breaking through first on the goal front at just past the four-minute mark.
Following this, the Owls looked to apply pressure offensively but were met with a stonewall in the form of USM goalkeeper Eleanor Folsom.
The Owls rattled off 10 shots in the span of 10 minutes, with Folsom saving four of them and none making it into the back of the net.
Trailing in the second period, the Owls continued the offensive push, firing off three shots before senior midfielder Molly Murray broke through with a goal assisted by junior forward Grace Bazin.
The Huskies failed to respond for the rest of the period, despite making three unsuccessful goal attempts, two of which were blocked by first-year goalkeeper Katelyn Nicotera.
The score would not be tied for much longer after the start of the third period, when senior forward Irini Stefanakos shot one into the net, putting the Owls in the lead for the first time 2-1.
Less than a minute later, Bazin, assisted by Stefanakos, rocketed one into the goal, giving KSC a 3-1 lead.
Three more shots and two penalty corners later, the Owls scored again, this time off the stick of sophomore forward Meghan Daileanes.
The Huskies were not able to respond to any of the goals made in the period, though the team was able to fire off one shot before the period ended.
In the fourth and final period of the game, the Huskies were able to score a second goal, showing some signs of life on the offensive end.
However, the barrage of shots made by KSC blocked any momentum USM could hope to build.
In total, the Owls made 15 shots in the period, while USM made just two.
With 19 seconds left in the game, Bazin scored a fifth goal for KSC, showcasing the Owls’ dominance in the latter half of the match.
After taking the victory over one Little East Conference member, Keene State will face another on Saturday, Oct. 12, when they play the Plymouth State University Panthers.
Nathan Hope can be contacted at
nhope@kscequinox.com
