'DANBURY, CT (11/9/02)- Keene State College captured its third Little East

Conference Tournament championship with a 1-0 upset victory over top seed Western

Connecticut State University at Midtown Campus Field Saturday afternoon.

Sophomore forward Casey Banks (Westborough, MA) scored the game-winning

goal with four seconds remaining in the first half on a direct kick. Western Connecticut's Marco Caramelo (Danbury, CT) was whistled for a foul on Brian Crook (Wareham, MA) about five yards outside of the box to set up Banks' shot. Banks blasted the ball into the upper right hand corner, far out of the reach of the Colonials keeper Mark Pataky (Trumbull, CT).  It was the only shot on goal the Owls would muster in the first 45 minutes.

D. J. Nordmark (South Windsor, CT) was brilliant in goal for the Owls, now

12-4-4 and winners of automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. In the first half, Nordmark, the Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, made two incredible saves on point-blank shots by Western Connecticut freshman Gustavo Ribeiro (Danbury, CT).  The first coming at the 39:07 and the latter, from directly in front of the crease, with 3:09 left in the first half.

Nordmark finished with five saves on the afternoon while Pataky turned away

two shots for the Colonials, which finish their season at 14-3-5. The Colonials out shot the Owls, 11-4 on the day but none were too threatening after Ribeiro's pair in the first half. Keene State won the Little East Conference Tournament a year ago and the

league's first post-season affair back in 1999.

KSC, the third seed,  won the Championship the hard way winning road games at Plymouth and today's contest in Danbury.  "This team has dealt with adversity all season," said KSC Coach Ron Butcher.  "They once again came through when the chips were down. "This was a tremendous win," he said we did it with smoke and mirrors."

The Owls won despite losing a couple of key players Mike Monteiro (Hudson, MA.) and Dermott O'Sullivan (North Salem, N.Y.) due to injuries in the game.  Freshmen Mike Lewis (Manchester, CT) and Kyle Wood (Manchester, CT) stepped up to fill the void along with Jim Hogan (Plymouth, N.H.) who had a strong game in the Owls's midfield.

It will be Keene State's fifth trip to the NCAA Tournament in the past six years.