KEENE, N.H. 10/2/13 – Senior Scott Douglas (East Greenwich, R.I.) had the hat trick, junior Kaleb Lique-Naitove (Keene, N.H.) scored two goals and sophomore Eddie Mercer (South Hadley, Mass.) finished with a goal and tied a school record with four assists as Keene State College exploded for a 9-3 non-conference men's soccer victory over Salem State University at Owl Athletic Complex on Wednesday night.

It's the most goals the Owls (3-7) have scored in a game since defeating Mass. College of Liberal Arts 10-0 back on Sept. 13, 2006.

Senior Michael Jacques (Tolland, Conn.) and freshmen Tim Haggerty (Southampton, Mass.) and Jeremy Schneider (Pleasantville, N.Y.) also found the back of the net for the Owls.  It was the first college goals for Haggerty and Schneider.

Keene State didn't waste any time getting on the board, scoring two quick goals in the first eight minutes of the game. 

Taking a cross from Douglas, Lique-Naitove gave the Owls a 1-0 lead five minutes into the game with a diving header.

Mercer made it a 2-0 game three minutes later with his third goal of the season. Collecting a through ball from senior Bryce Lawlor (Woodbury, Conn.), Mercer took one touch before burying the ball into the far left corner of the net.

The Owls weren't done. Sent away by Mercer with a nice lead pass, Douglas got behind the Viking's defense and netted his first goal of the half.

Salem State cut the Owls lead to 3-1 when senior Matt Figueiredo (Wilmington, Mass.) scored on a free kick.  But KSC came right back three minutes later to regain its three goal advantage.  Lique-Naitove scored his second goal of the game and third of the season with a rocket from 25-yards out.

Douglas and Mercer combined on a give-and-go play to give Keen State its fifth goal of the half.

Salem State junior Costa Hatziiannou (Danvers, Mass.) converted a cross to make it 5-2.  Jacques completed the first half barrage with a penalty kick goal with six minutes to play, giving Keene State a 6-2 halftime cushion.   

Douglas kept the ball rolling for the Owls in the early minutes of the second half, netting his third goal of the game and team-leading eighth of the season, staking KSC to a 7-2 lead. Schneider scored to make it 8-2.

After senior Saimir Zepaj (Peabody, Mass.) scored on a direct kick for Salem State, Haggerty put the Owls up 9-3.

Keene State had a wide 34-7 advantage in shots.

Junior Mike Ketterman (Monson, Mass.) played the first 72:32 in goal for the Owls and made two saves.  Sophomore Mark Keller (Northborough, Mass.) finished up and didn't record a save. 

Keene State returns to Little East Conference play on Saturday (1p.m.) when it travels down to Providence to face Rhode Island College.