KEENE, N.H. 11/6/04 - Katie Stevens (Londonderry, N.H.) had two goals and Tournament Most Outstanding Player Courtney Gately (Canton, Mass.) finished with a goal and an assist to lead top seed Keene State College to a 3-0 shutout victory over second seed Eastern Connecticut in the Little East Conference women's soccer championship game at Owl Athletic Complex on Saturday.

"It was a complete team effort," said Gately, who netted a goal in yesterday's semifinal against Southern Maine that propelled KSC into the finals. "Everyone gave everything they had and played with a lot of heart."

"We played for 90 minutes and didn't stop running until the final whistle." Said KSC Coach Denise Lyons. "We are a young team with some senior veterans coming back that wanted to win it so badly. It took awhile, but they finally gelled."

Keene State (13-5-2), which was making its sixth straight appearance in the finals, claims its second LEC Championship in the last three years. The Owls won the 2002 title. Eastern Conn., the defending champs who edged the Owls in penalty kicks last season, falls to 15-5-1 and awaits a possible ECAC berth.

Keene State took at 1-0 lead at the 7:20 mark on its first shot on goal. Katie Stevens (Londonderry, N.H.) took a short pass from Courtney Gately (Canton, Mass.) and slipped the ball past ECSU goalie Allison Sumecki (Northford, Conn.).

Minutes later, Caitlin Buzzell (Manchester, Conn.), open in front, had a chance to tie the game, but her shot went over the crossbar.

In the closing minute of the half, Jen Ferrari (Conventry, R.I.) broke free, but her point blank shot was smothered by KSC goalie Michelle Mason (Fairport, N.Y.).

KSC added two more goals in the second half. At the 57:16 mark, Brittany Faulkner (Lebanon, N.H.) and Sumecki converged on the ball. Faulker tapped the ball over to Gately who put the ball into the open corner of the net for her second goal of the Tournament and eighth of the season.

Stevens followed with her second of the game five minutes later when the ball came to her on a deflection, and she knocked it in for her seven goal of the season.

Mason finished with six saves to notch her eighth shutout of the season. Sumecki had nine saves and Megan Goster (Agawam, Mass,) had one save on goal for the Warriors.