Benning Leads Owls Over Smith 3-1

KEENE, N.H. 10/29/09 - Senior Carly Benning (Brewster, Mass.) netted two goals to lead Keene State College to a 3-1 non-conference field hockey victory over Smith College at Owl Athletic Complex on Thursday night.

Keene State, which extends its winning streak to five games, improves to 15-4.  Smith College concludes its season with a 3-13 record. 

The Owls jumped out to a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game on a corner opportunity.  Benning redirected a shot by junior Leigh Smith (Sanbornton, N.H.).

Pioneer senior goalie Margaret Winter (Purchase, N.Y.) kept it a one goal game when she stopped consecutive shots by sophomore Aislynn Sherry (Rehoboth, Mass.). Minutes later, Smith senior Mary Kate Long (Harrisville, N.H.) stopped a corner bid by Benning with a defensive save. 

Looking to get the equalizer, Smith had a flurry of shots early in the second half.  KSC senior back Erin Dallas (Marlow, N.H.) had a defensive save on a drive by Smith freshman Nomindara Goulden (Rutledge, Pa.).

Benning's second goal of the game, a hard shot from the top of the circle following a corner, put Keene State up 2-0 at the 55:36 mark.  Benning's two goals give her a conference-leading 21 on the season and 48 in her career.  She needs three goals to move into fourth place on KSC's all-time list.

The Owls lost their shutout bid with 12:13 to play when Goulden took a pass from sophomore Phoebe Hopkins (Philadelphia, Pa.) and scored on a shot from the right side.

The Owls got the insurance goal on a well-executed corner play with Dallas feeding sophomore Niki Smith (Southwick, Mass.) for her first goal of the season with 5:17 to go. 

Owl senior Tara Murphy (Derry, N.H.) was credited with a defensive save on Goulden's shot in the closing minutes of play.

Senior Vikki Stoessel (Derry, N.H.) and junior Meghan Ledoux (Standish, Me.) each played a half in goal for the owls.  Stoessel made six saves and Ledoux stopped six shots.

Winter had a strong performance in goal for the Pioneers, finishing with 18 saves. 

Keene State outshot Smith 32-18 and had a 14-4 advantage in corners.

Keene State hosts UMass-Dartmouth in a key Little East game on Saturday (1:30 p.m.) with the winner earning the top-seed in the conference tournament.