'KEENE, N.H. 11/16/03 - Tournament MVP Tanya Strong's (Hatfield, Mass.) goal, her 30th of the season, lifted top seed Keene State College to a 2-1 victory over second seed Springfield College in the championship game of the ECAC Division III New England Field Hockey Championship held Sunday at Owl Athletic Complex. 

It was first ECAC Championship for the Owls (19-6), who tied a program record for victories with 19 set in 1983.

"It's great to win a championship with these seniors," said KSC Coach Amy Watson.  "They really deserve to go out on top."

Springfield concludes its season with a 16-10 mark.

The Owls didn't wasted little time getting on the scoreboard with Nichole Dallas (Marlow, N.H.) scoring her 11th goal of the season on a penalty corner play 3:49 into the game. 

Springfield came right back tying the game three minutes later on goal by Alisha Minor (Sanbornton, N.H.), a shot from 20-yards out that snuck through the pads of KSC goalie Caitlin Baril (Canton, Mass.).

Kara Spang (Andover, Mass.) stopped a potential go-ahead goal by the Pride when she made a defensive save on a shot by Sarah Brooker (Auburn, Maine) later in the half.

KSC had a chance to take a lead but Dallas' penalty stroke clanged off the near post.

Strong finally gave Keene State a 2-1 lead 10 minutes into the second half.  The senior forward deflected Nichole Garneau's (Twin Mountain, N.H.) drive past Pride goalie Lindsay Pardue (Houston, Tex.).

"It was awesome," said Strong who set KSC records with 30 goals and 70 points this season. "I got the ball at the top of the circle and tuned and shot and it went into the goal. It was a great season, I could've of asked to go out in a better way."

The game ended in dramatic fashion with the Pride's Maylese Leyva drive on a penalty corner just going wide of the post with no time left on the clock.

Baril finished the game with five saves for KSC while Pardue stopped 12 shots for Springfield.