'KEENE, N.H. 5/2/06 - The third-seeded Keene State College women's lacrosse team defeated sixth seed Western Connecticut State University 18-9 in a Little East Conference quarterfinal tournament game played at Owl Athletic Complex on Tuesday.

Keene State (8-9) advances to the semifinals where they will face second seed Eastern Conn. State University at Plymouth State on Friday (3:30 p.m.). KSC lost to ECSU 7-5 earlier in the season. Top seed PSU will take on the winner of the Southern Main/UMass-Dartmouth game in the other semifinal contest.

Colleen Murphy (Mansfield, Mass.), Alexandra Manzin (Avon, Conn.), and Kristal Lundegaard (Babylon, N.Y.) led a balanced Owl offense with four goals each.  Steph Georgevits (Concord, N.H.), Lanaya Nelson (Chester, Conn.) and Lauren Saunders (Fremont, N.H.) scored two goals each. 

Cuyler Rush (New Milford, Conn.), Caitlin Everin (Glastonbury, Conn.), and Jessica Majeski (Norwalk, Conn.) had two goals each to lead WCSU, which concludes its season with a 2-14 record.

The Owls scored the first three goals of the game and held an 11-3 halftime lead.  The Colonials cut the Owls' lead to 12-6 early in the second half on a goal by Everin.  But Lundegaard intercepted a clearing pass by WCSU goalie Melissa Perry (Danbury, Conn.) and put it in the net.  Georgevits finished off a pass from Lundegarrd two minutes later putting the Owls up 14-6.

Jen Gearing (Westfield, Mass.) had 14 saves for KSC while Perry stopped 15 shots for WCSU.

"We knew it was going to be a closer game than last time we played them," said Murphy, who also had three assists.  "It took us a little while to get going, but I thought we've had some nice scoring plays."

KSC is looking forward to Friday's game against Eastern Conn.  "We always play them close and I expect another tough game," said Saunders.

KSC only trip to the LEC finals came in 2004 when it lost to Plymouth State 9-5.