'MIDDLEBURY, Vermont 10/25/06 - Cal Mintz (Westport, Conn.) was stellar in goal, making 12 saves on the afternoon as Keene topped Middlebury 2-0 in a battle between a pair of top seven teams in New England. The game was filled with great chances to score for both teams throughout. Keene had a pair of opportunities in the first half at the 15 and 20 minute marks, but Pelse Mesa and Alex Horne's shots were denied by solid saves from Middlebury's Zack Toth. Middlebury's best chance to score in the first half came as Michael Spiak had a good look, before missing wide at the 33-minute mark.

Keene took a 1-0 lead at 65:28 as a headed ball deflected off the hand of a Middlebury player in the penalty area, resulting in a penalty kick. Eric Scott took advantage as he ripped a shot into the bottom right corner for a 1-0 lead. It was his fourth goal of the season.

Winston Rains had a good look from the outside for Middlebury in the 66th minute, but a diving save from Mintz kept it a one-goal lead. The Owls gained some breathing room at 76:39 as Horne gained a step on his defender on the left side, before scoring with a low hard shot to the far corner.

The Panthers continued to pressure in the game's final 10 minutes, but could not solve Mintz., who notched his fourth shutout of the season. The Keene State keeper made a great one-handed save on John Sales following at penalty kick, before doing the same on Casey Ftorek in the 83rd minute. He ended the game with another big save on Sales late. Toth finished the afternoon with nine saves for Middlebury.

"Mintz was spectacular," said KSC Coach Ron Butcher.  "They threw everything at him late in the second half and he came up big everytime."

The win might have come at a cost for the Owls, who lost the serves of Noah Hertzler and Mesa late in the game.  "It was a good win against a quality team," Butcher added.  "Hopefully it will give us some confidence going into Saturday's game against UMass-Boston. 

The Owls can secure their sixth LEC regular-season title with a win over the Beacons on Saturday.  Saturday's game will begin at 1:30 p.m. due to the running of the LEC/Alliance Cross Country championships.