KEENE, N.H. 10/22/11 – Senior forward Elizabeth Coffin (Sugar Hill, N.H.) netted two first half goals, and assisted on the game-winner, to lift the Keene State College field hockey team to the 3-2 win over Little East Conference rival UMass-Dartmouth. With the victory, KSC clinched at least a share of the regular season conference crown, and home field advantage throughout the tournament.

"It's really a big advantage to host the tournament on our turf," said KSC head coach Amy Watson. "It's always nice to practice where you play."

Keene State has one remaining Little East Conference game, next Saturday at Framingham State. Even if the Owls were to drop that contest, they would still hold the tie-breaker over second-place Plymouth State.

The Owls controlled the first half of the game, outshooting the Corsairs 7-3 and scoring all three of their goals.

Coffin lit the lamp early, in the games eighth minute, off a nice crossing pass from senior midfielder Alyce Ferenc (Rumney, N.H.) that went UMass goaltender Kelsey Gallo (East Greenwich, RI) to find the wide open Coffin for the 1-0 lead. "It's real nice to have Coffin back," said Watson. "She has been out for a while with an injury and to get her back running well and playing big for us will be huge in the long run."

At the 12:15 mark KSC took advantage of a nice pass from sophomore defender Katlyn Simula (Bridgewater, N.H.) from way outside the circle that bounced over two Corsair defender's sticks and found Coffin again for the easy goal and the 2-0 lead.

In the games 23rd minute, two goals were scored. UMass Dartmouth found the scoreboard, as junior defender Taryn Cardiel (Moorpark, California) rifled a shot off a corner from junior forward Eleanor Taylor (Fairhaven, Mass.) to cut KSC's lead to 2-1.

14 seconds later, KSC took possession and scored again, as junior forward Kalin Billert (Center Conway, N.H.) took a pass from Coffin and beat Gallo for the 3-1 advantage at the half.

In the second half, UMass played tougher, causing more turnovers in the neutral zone and making the game close at the 64:07 mark when sophomore defender Victoria Dolce (Jamestown, RI) found the back of the cage on a designed play from freshman defender Chelsey Campbell (Barre, Mass.) to make it 3-2. "They really stepped it up in the second half," said Watson. "They came at us strong and we knew that we needed to keep working hard down the stretch."

Keene State was up to the task, running out the clock by clearing the ball out of the Corsair offensive zone time-after-time to hold on for the 3-2 win.

Owls freshman netminder Caitlin Davino-Draper (Hanover, Mass.) had two saves and allowed two goals in the win, while UMass Dartmouth split time in goal with Gallo making four saves and allowing the three goals. Sophomore goalie Lauren O'Brien (Rochester, Mass.) played the second half for UMass Dartmouth making four saves and allowing no KSC goals.

Keene State returns to action Thursday night, as the Owls will celebrate senior night against Smith College at 6 p.m.