MANSFIELD, CONN. 5/2/09 - For the first time in the 12-year history of the Keene State women's lacrosse program, the Owls are headed to the NCAA Division III Championship.

Keene State season scoring leader Jill Kirk's (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) only goal of the match one minute into overtime gave the second seeded Owls their first Little East Conference tournament championship with a dramatic 9-8 upset win over top seed and two-time defending champion Eastern Conn. State University on Saturday.

Winners of 10 out of its last 11 games and a school record eight in a row, Keene State ended Eastern's 23-game winning streak in conference decisions. Until this game, Eastern's last conference loss had come in the title game of the 2006 championship against Plymouth State, 9-5.

Keene State (12-7) will find out about its NCAA tournament destination on Monday.  Eastern Conn. concludes its season with a 9-9 record.

The sophomore tandem of Kirk and Lauren Sawyer (Westbrook, N.Y.) proved to be the winning combination for the Owls. Circling from behind the net, Kirk took a pass from Sawyer and fired the ball past Eastern Conn. goalie Kristianna Ibsen to give KSC its inaugural conference crown.

After being marked heavily during the game, Kirk escaped from the defender long enough to net the game-winner.  "I just took a quick feed from Lauren and let it go," said Kirk.  "Once the game went into overtime, we knew we were going to win.  "I don't believe it happened, but we definitely earned it."

"Once we got up in overtime, we were really patient offensively and kept our composure," said KSC Coach Katie Arsenault. 

Sawyer, named the tournament MVP, finished the game with four goals and two assists has a conference-leading 59 and is among the leaders in Division III. 

Sawyer had forced overtime when she scored her fourth goal of the match with 5:24 left. Three of Sawyer's goals came on free-position shots.

The Warriors held a slim 4-3 lead at the half.  ECSU scored the first two goals of the second half to take it largest lead 6-3 on a goal by Brooke Wayte.

KSC trailed 7-5 following a goal by Ashley Del Vecchio. Sawyer scored a free position goal and freshman Samantha Benson (Hampstead, N.H.) drew the Owls even at 7-all.   Jessica Richards put the Warriors up 8-7, but less than a minute later Sawyer set the game into overt time.

Keene State senior goalie Jen Gearing (Westfield, Mass.) made three saves in the final two minutes of overtime, two coming in the final minute. She stopped a free-position shot by Del Vecchio with 50 seconds left and preserved the win by making her 14th save of the game on an attempt by Eastern season goal-scoring leader Brooke Wayte with two seconds left. Ibsen made a save on a shot by Keene's Jamie Albert with two seconds left in regulation to force overtime. Ibsen finished the game with 13 saves.

Wayte, who scored five goals in a 16-0 semifinal win Thursday over UMass Dartmouth, managed only one goal on eight shots.

Keene's only previous win over Eastern had come in the finals of the ECAC Tournament, 17-16 in overtime, in 2004.

Albert scored two goals. Sophomore Emily Persano (Somers. Conn.) also scored for KSC.   Katie Beers led the Warriors with two goals.

Arsenault said leading the Owls to their first LEC championship in her first season is surreal.  "Halfway thought the season, people didn't think we'd do anything.  But we constantly improved after every game.  I'm not saying we're the most skilled or talented players in the LEC, but if you want it and work hard enough you're going to get it."