KEENE, N.H. 9/13/11 – The Keene State College field hockey team dropped its first game of the season, a 3-2 hard-fought double-overtime thriller to Williams College at Owl Athletic Complex on Tuesday night.

            Breaking down the middle in the second seven-on-seven overtime,  sophomore Emily Pavlini (Far Hills, N.J.) fed sophomore Emily Jablonski (Madison, Conn.) who but the ball into the open net after KSC freshman goalie Caitlin Davino-Draper (Hanson, Mass.) came out of the net to cut off the angle on the play. 

            "That was an amazing game," said KSC senior back Kerry Howe (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.), who had a goal and a pair of defensive saves in the contest.  "It was so much fun and a really well played game.  I 'don't feel bad about losing, everyone worked hard tonight."

            Williams (1-1) took a 1-0 lead at the 22:33 mark of the first half when freshman Sara Thompson (Short Hills, N.J.) deflected a pass by freshman Caitlin Conlon (Sudbury, Mass.) into the net on a corner play.

            Keene State (2-1) answered four minutes later when Howe put a rebound past Eph's sophomore goalie Ariana Spiliotes (Bethesda, Md.).

            The Owls were awarded a corner with no-time remaining in the first half, but sophomore Katlyn Simula (Bridgewater, N.H.) had her shot blocked.

            Nine minutes into the second half, Davio-Draper kept the score tied when she came way out of net and stopped a bid by senior Margie Fulton (Wellesley, Mass.)

            Senior Elizabeth Coffin (Sugar Hill, N.H.) gave KSC a 2-1 lead at the 19:31 mark with a sweeping shot from the left side end-line that found the far corner of the net.   It was her third goal of the season.

            KSC dodged a bullet later in the half.  Williams was given a penalty stroke when Howe, after making a defensive save, had the ball hit her foot.  Jablonski took the stroke, but her shot went wide of the cage.   Later in the half, Williams was awarded another penalty stroke and junior Casey Greene (Greenwich, Conn.) scored to tie the game.

            The wide-open first overtime featured several down the field rushes by both teams.  Williams had the best opportunity to score, but Davino-Draper was up to the challenge, stopping a couple of close-range shots by Jablonski.  Howe also had her second defensive of the game when she stopped a bid by Thompson. 

            But Jablonski wouldn't be denied scoring the game winner at the 9:09 mark in the second overtime period.

            Williams outshot Keene State 22-7 and had a 13-8 advantage in corner plays.

            Davino-Draper had a busy night in goal for KSC, finishing with a season high 10 saves.  Spiliotes stopped three shots for the Ephs.

            Playing four games this week, the Owls are back on the turf this Thursday when they host Castleton State (6 p.m.).