KEENE, N.H. 10/27/11- The Keene State College field hockey team celebrated Senior Night with a 5-1 non-conference victory over Smith College at snowy Owl Athletic Complex on Thursday night.

Winners of four of its last five games, Keene State improves to 15-4.  Smith College (4-12) has dropped its last four games.

The Owls scored early and often on the way to taking a 4-1 halftime lead.  KSC first three goals came in the first 6:31 of the game.  Sophomore back Katlyn Simula (Bridgewater, N.H.) got the Owls on the board just over a minute into the game when she finished off a well-executed corner with a bullet past Pioneer sophomore goalie Savannah Lawson (Oak Bluffs, Mass.). 

Two of KSC's seven seniors honored prior to the game, Elizabeth Coffin (Sugar Hill, N.H.) and Jacki Benson (Hampstead, N.H.) scored in a span of 1:15 to put the Owls up 3-0. Coffin's goal, her team-leading 15th of the season, came on a sweeping shot that found the far corner of the net.  Benson's goal, her third of the season, was set up by a bouncing cross from Coffin.   

"I never played in the snow before," said Coffin.  "In the beginning it was fine, but at the end of the game the ball wouldn't move at all."

Freshman Julia Forgione (Windham, N.H.) finished off the early four goal uprising for KSC when she scored on a rebound for her fourth goal of the season.

The Pioneers had a chance to get on the board at the 18:41 mark, but sophomore Allie Stein's (Ann Arbor, Mich.) shot on a corner play was knocked away on a defensive save by Justine Hunnewell (Lebanon, N.H.).  A minute later, Smith scored on its next corner opportunity when senior Phoebe Hopkins (Philadelphia, Pa.) converted a pass from Stein.

Smith freshman Rebecca Meagher (Acton, Mass.) stopped a bid by Kerry Howe (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) with a defensive save at the 24:19 mark of the second half.  Senior Alyce Ferenc (Rumney, N.H.) netted the Owls' final goal, her ninth of the season, on the team's next corner opportunity.

The Owls outshot the Pioneers 35-8 and had a 13-3 advantage in penalty corners. 

Keene State used all three of its goalies in the game.  Davis stopped two shots while freshmen D.J. Cassidy (Lowell, Mass.) and Caitlin Davino-Draper (Hanover, Mass.) didn't register a save.

"It was surreal," said Davis. "I didn't know what was going to happen, but I was real excited to get the start.  But I didn't mind I had a lot of fun out there.  I was nervous going into the game, so when they scored a few early goals, I was able to relax."

Wearing orange neon pads, Lawson had a busy night in the net for Smith, finishing with 23 saves.

In addition to Coffin, Benson, Howe, Ferenc, and Davis, seniors Aislynn Sherry (Rehoboth, Mass.) and Niki Smith (Southwick, Mass.) were also honored before the game.

Both Keene State and Smith wrap-up regular season play with conference games on Saturday.  The Owls travel to Framingham State for their final Little East game of the season at 4 p.m.  The Pioneers host WPI in a NEWMAC game (1p.m.).