KEENE, N.H. 11/6/04 - The top seeded Keene State College men's soccer team captured its fourth Little East Championship in the last six years with a 3-1 victory over second-seed Rhode Island College in the Conference finals held Saturday at Owl Athletic Complex.

The Owls (16-3-1) scored early and often netting three first half goals in the span of 10 minutes. Eric Scott (West Springfield, Mass.) got the Owls on the board five minutes into the game when he headed the ball into the net for his ninth goal of the season.

Casey Banks (Westborough, Mass.) made it 2-0 at the 13:35 mark after he took a crossing pass from Kyle Wood (Manchester, Conn.), and while on the ground, redirected the ball into the net. Jason Lombardo (Woburn, Mass.) finished the first half explosion two minutes later. After a RIC defender went down, Lombardo picked up the loose ball and fired it into the net for a 3-0 KSC lead. Banks and Lombardo lead KSC with 13 goals each.

RIC, which was making its first appearance in the LEC finals, spoiled KSC's shutout bid midway the second half when Matt Borges (New Bedford, Mass.) deposited a perfect crossing pass the Kyle Teixeira (Warren, R.I.) into the top corner of the net. The Anchormen offense came alive with strong scoring chances by Holman Giraldo (Pawtucket, R.I.) and Steve Alves (Seekonk, Mass.) later in the half. Brandon Beck (Johnstown, N.Y.) made six saves for the Owls while Jadon Neves finished with nine saves for RIC (11-8-2), who will now await a possible ECAC berth.

"We scored three tremendous goals today," said KSC Coach Ron Butcher. "I give a lot of credit to our senior leadership; they wanted to go out as winners."

"This was the best way to finish up undefeated in the conference and tournament," said senior Jimmy Hogan (Holderness, N.H.), who was selected the tournament's most outstanding player. "We couldn't ask for a better team effort."

With the victory, Keene State secured its sixth NCAA Division III Tournament berth in the past eight years.