KEENE, N.H. 9/15/09 - Earning the #19 spot in the national field hockey poll earlier in the day, (the team's first appearance in the poll since 2002), the Owls (6-0) celebrated the occasion by not only defeating Williams College (1-0) for the first time, but also setting a program record with their sixth straight shutout on Tuesday night. It was Keene State's first win against the Ephs (1-2) in eight tries.

            "We just did an amazing job. Everyone held their defensive marks," said senior goalie Vikki Stoessel from Derry, N.H., who has now logged 389:30 minutes between the pipes this season without allowing the ball to get behind her. "The defense came together the way I thought it would this year."

            The Owls had five straight shutouts in 1981 and 2007.

            Senior Erin Dallas (Marlow, N.H.) prevented Williams for getting a goal in the opening minutes when she made a defensive save off the stick of sophomore Meera Sivalingam (Philadelphia, Pa.).

            Sophomore Jackie Benson (Hampstead, N.H) gave the Owls a 1-0 lead at the13:55 mark following a flurry of action in front of the Eph's net. "There were so many players in front of the net, so I was just trying to get my stick on the ball," said Benson about her game-winner and fourth goal of the season.

            Senior Carly Benning (Brewster, Mass.) came down on a rush, but her shot was knocked away on a diving save by Williams's junior goalie Katrina Tulla (New Canaan, Conn.). Dallas later hit the post on a corner opportunity. 

            Dallas's second defensive save of the game, off a shot by freshman Izzy Lee (Darien Conn.) kept the Eph's off the board in the first half. Dallas said that defensive saves are instinctive plays.  "If I know the ball is there, I have to get it even if it causes a corner."

            Williams had a couple of corner chances, but Stoessel turned aside both bids.

            Benson and Benning had back-to-back shots at the 11:47 mark; both shots were stopped by Tulla to keep it a one goal game.

            Williams had several opportunities to get the equalizer in the final two minutes of play.  Stoessel made saves on a couple of shots by freshman Lucy Rollins (Rye, N.Y.) and stopped a bid by Sivalingam. Sophomore Kerry Howe (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) also made a defensive save in the flurry to preserve the shutout victory. 

            "At that point you just think about watching the ball. We wanted it so bad and I wasn't about to disappoint the team," said Stoessel, who finished the game with a season high 11 saves."

            "I'm pleased with the way we handled Williams's pressure at the end," said KSC Coach Amy Watson.  "Williams wasn't going down easy.  I liked the way our defense stepped up across the board."

            "As a defender, six shutouts are amazing. It's everything you dream of and more," Stoessel said. "Hopefully, we can keep it going."

            Tulla finished the game with 11 saves for Williams, who outshot KSC 18-17

            Keene State had a 10-6 margin in corners.

            The Owls return to LEC play on Saturday with a 2 p.m. game at Framingham State.