Box Score KEENE, N.H. 11/2/10 – Led by Keene State College senior Leigh Smith's (Sanborton, N.H.) game-winning overtime goal forty seconds into the extra period, the Keene State College field hockey team defeated Fitchburg State University 1-0 in the Little East Conference quarterfinals at Owl Athletic Complex on Tuesday night.
"Fitchburg was a different team than when we beat them on 2-0 on October 23rd," said KSC head coach Amy Watson. "They are a tough and very fast team and I am glad we came away with the victory without going too deep into overtime."
The Owls, who are the fourth seed in this year's tournament, move on to the semifinals, where they will face top-seeded UMass Dartmouth on Thursday night. "When we played UMass this past Saturday, both teams had very good games," said Watson. "I fully expect the game to be a battle."
The Falcons had control of the ball for most of the first half, outshooting the Owls 8-2. With 13:40 left in the first-half, the Falcons had their best chance of the night to score, as Fitchburg's leading scorers Megan Jacobs (Stoughton, Mass.) and Mari Roma (Foxborough, Mass.) each had clean looks at the net off a designed corner. KSC senior goalie Meghan Ledoux (Standish, Maine) came out of the goal to cut off the angle, stopping Jacob's rocket and forcing Roma's wide to end the scoring opportunity.
In the second period, KSC came out forcing the issue, not allowing a single Falcon shot on net and having eight of their own. With just over 13 minutes left in regulation, Smith had a great scoring chance off a corner. After junior Kerry Howe (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) ripped a shot from just inside the circle, Smith had took a shot off the deflection that sailed just over the crossbar and out of play.
Smith's overtime tally came 40 seconds into the period, as junior Elizabeth Coffin (Sugar Hill, N.H.) sent the ball into the circle to a streaking Smith who put it in just past the dive of freshman goalie Rachel Mays (Somerset, Mass.) for the game-winner. "Coffin sent in a rocket that was handled nicely by Smith," said Watson. "Leigh did a nice job of tipping it just over the goalie." Smith's overtime game-winner was her second in as many weeks, as she netted an extra-period marker against New England College last Tuesday, just a minute and fifteen second into the extra frame.
For KSC, Ledoux finished with five saves in the shutout, while Mays finished with five saves in the losing effort.
The Owls outshot Fitchburg 9-0 in the 2nd half and overtime periods for the 11-8 advantage. Fitchburg held the advantage in penalty corners at 7-6.
