KEENE, N.H.  11/6/08 - The top-seeded Keene State College field hockey team dodged a bullet and a pesky Southern Maine field hockey team to come away with a 2-1 overtime victory against fourth seed University of Southern Maine in a Little East Conference semifinal game played Thursday night in Keene.

Keene State (17-5) will host second seed and rival Plymouth State in Saturday's championship game at noon.  The Panthers edged #3 UMass-Dartmouth 4-3 in their semifinal game. The Owls are shooting for their fifth straight and eighth overall LEC crown.  Southern Maine concludes its season with an 10-11 mark.

Sophomore forward Leigh Smith's (Sanbornton, N.H.) rebound goal 1:22 into overtime was the difference. "Alyssa (Rowell) passed it into the goalie. She missed it and I tipped it right up into the net," said Smith about game-winner and third goal of the season.  "I was glad it got over quick.  I didn't want to run anymore.  We've been practicing overtime a lot, so we were well prepared and we got it done."

The Owls had numerous corner opportunities throughout the game, holding a wide 18-2 advantage, before breaking though with their overtime opportunity. "Southern Maine was relentless or its corner defense," said KSC Coach Amy Watson.  "It's uncommon to have that many corners and not score off of them."

The Owls didn't waste any time getting on the board. Earning a corner, just 54 seconds in the game, junior midfielder Erin Dallas (Marlow, N.H.) deflected a blast from the top of the arc by junior forward Carly Benning (Brewster, Mass.) past USM junior goalie Allison Hill (Cape Elizabeth, Me.) to give the Owls an early 1-0 lead.

Freshman forward Elizabeth Coffin (Sugar Hill, N.H.) had a couple of chances to add to Keene State's lead with consecutive shots with 6:10 to go in the half, but both bids were knocked away by Hill.

In the closing seconds, sophomore forward Chelsea Blackmer's (Boylston, Mass.) drive went just wide of the net.  KSC held a 7-0 shot advantage at the break.

A quick shower came down minutes into the second half. Moments later, the Huskies tied the score on their first corner and first shot on goal at the 39:24 mark when junior midfielder Melissa Rivet (Bridgeton, Me.) scored on a rebound.

 KSC kept the pressure in the Southern Maine half of the field after the goal.  Benning and Coffin both had attempts that were saved by Hill at the 26:46 mark.

KSC continued to pile up corner opportunities throughout the half with nothing to show for them.

The Huskies had a chance to take the lead with 11 minutes to go but a shot by freshman midfielder Bethany Bougie (Sanford, Me.) was saved by KSC goalie Vikki Stoessel (Derry, N.H.). 

Watson told her team to keep up the pressure in overtime.  "The seven-on seven overtime opens the field up and creates opportunities," she said.  "I told them they needed to go out there with confidence. We've been playing well all game and just haven't finished it."

That was until the 71:22 mark when Smith finished it with her game winner.

The Owls outshot the Huskies 22-3.

Stoessel was credited with one save while Hill finished the game with 11 saves.

KSC edged USM 2-1 in last year's LEC final that was decided in overtime.