WILLIMANTIC, Conn. - Junior forward Alex Horn's  (Harvard, Mass.) goal with just under eight minutes to play enabled the Keene State men's soccer team to come away with a 1-1 tie against Eastern Conn. State University at  Thomas Nevers Field in Willimantic on Saturday.

Horne leaped and headed a corner kick from freshman Ian Kelly (Taunton, MA) inside the far post to tie the match as Eastern allowed its first goal off a re-start this season. The goal was the team-leading fifth of the season for Horne.

Sophomore forward Maxim Fantl (West Hartford) scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season midway through the second half and senior keeper Jay Barney (Mansfield) made a season-high 11 saves to lead the Warriors.

Eastern (4-3-2, 2-0-1 little east) remains unbeaten in the conference this year while Keene is still in search of its first conference win (3-4-3, 0-2-1 little east). Keene won last year's conference playoffs and is the pre-season No. 1 pick to repeat those honors this year.

Fantl gave Eastern a 1-0 lead with 25 minutes left when he drove a low 18-yarder into the back of the net after collecting a shot by freshman teammate Bobby Zalewski (Coventry) which had deflected off a Keene defender. Keene applied hard pressure after falling behind and finally gained the equalizer with 7:12 left in regulation.

After Horn's goal, Keene dominated with a 16-6 advantage in shots after a scoreless first half, but Barney was equal to the task as he made a season-high 11 saves. Eight of the saves came after intermission for Barney, last year's LEC Defensive Player-of-the-Year who has given up more than a single goal in only one of eight starts this season.

During a physical first half, Zalewski and sophomore midfielder Nicholas Boretti (Marshfield, MA) could not convert opportunities to give Eastern its first goal. .

The Owls had the better of play in the second half, with junior Ben Allenet (Lanfains, France) sending a shot off the post with 14 minutes left. Three minutes later, Keene set up for an 18-yard free kick but drove the ball into Eastern's defensive wall. After Horne tied the match, freshman Matt Johnson (Walpole, NH) nearly ended it with 48 seconds left but Barney denied his sinking line drive. With time running out in overtime, Kelly took the only shot by either team in the 20-minutes extra session, but his bid went wide with 25 seconds left.

Last year, Eastern snapped a 15-game losing streak at the hands of Keene with a 1-1 overtime draw, as well. Fantl, last year's LEC Rookie-of-the-Year, had given Eastern a 1-0 lead in the second half of that game before the Owls forced overtime with a goal with 16 minutes left.

Keene had ended a three-match winless streak Wednesday with a 1-0 win at No. 17 nationally-ranked Williams. Horne's second-half goal was the only marker of the game.

KSC hosts Salem State on Tuesday (6:30 p.m.).
Eastern hosts Ramapo College Wednesday at 4 p.m.