PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Senior forward Kelly Smith (Lisbon, N.H.) scored 2:05 into sudden death overtime to lead the nationally-ranked Keene State College Owls to a 2-1 victory over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in the first semifinal game of the third annual Little East Conference Field Hockey Tournament Friday afternoon at Panther Field on the campus of Plymouth State College.

Smith, last season's LEC Player of the Year, drove to the right end line on a breakaway and fired the ball from a near impossible angle low into the left corner past the Huskies' junior goalie, Andrea Guerette (Fairfield, Maine), for the game-winner.

Keene State, ranked 16th in the nation in the latest ST/NFHCA Division Ill National Coaches Poll, is now 16-4 overall. The Owls will play the top-seeded Plymouth State College Panthers at noon Saturday (October 28) for the LEC championship. Plymouth State, unbeaten in Little East play this season, punched its ticket into the final with a 2-0 triumph over fifth-seeded Worcester State College, 2-0, in the other semifinal game.

The overtime loss, which snapped USM's four-game winning streak, dropped the Huskies to 12-10 for the season. USM has played nine overtime games this season, winning four. Seven of the Huskies' ten losses have been by one goal. Southern Maine will await word on a possible ECAC tournament bid to be announced sometime Monday (October 30).

Second-seeded Keene State struck first when senior Ally Huetz (South Burlington, Vt.) deflected freshman Nichole Dallas' (Marlow, N.H.) shot from the top of the circle high into the right side of the cage during a penalty corner with 25:17 remaining in the first half.

Third-seeded Southern Maine tied the game early in the second half when sophomore Brittany McClure (Belfast, Maine) notched her first goal of the season, beating Owls' sophomore goalie Lindsay Hamilton (Brattleboro, Vt.) low to the left during a scramble in front of the net.

USM carried the play at times against the defending champion Owis, but was unable to beat Hamilton again. The Owls out shot the Huskies 17-13 and held a 14-11 advantage in penalty corners.

Guerette stopped nine shots while Hamilton was credited with six saves.

The winner of the Little East Tournament will receive an automatic bid to the NCAA Division Ill national tournament.