KEENE, N.H. 10/5/13 – The Keene State College field hockey team scored four goals in each half en route to a 8-2 Little East Conference victory over Western Conn. State University at Owl Athletic Complex on Saturday. 

The Owls (10-2, 5-0 LEC) remain tied for the top spot in the LEC standings with UMass-Dartmouth.  Western Conn. (4-6, 1-4 LEC), has dropped two of its last three games.

Junior Marissa Lemoine (Berlin, N.H.), who has netted six goals in the last four games, had two goals and one assist to lead the Owls.  Junior Melissa Habelow, (Belmont, Mass.) and sophomores Haylie Dolan (West Brookfield, Mass.), Lyndsie Rabenius (North Hampton, N.H.) and Emily Medeiros (Wilbraham, Mass.) and freshmen Kayla Renaud (Somers, Conn.) and Sami Smith (Merrimack, N.H.) also found the back of the net for the Owls. It was the team-leading ninth goal of the season for Renaud. "We worked really hard today and put the ball in the net," said senior Katlyn Simula. "Everyone stepped it up."   

The eight goals are the most the Owls have scored in a game since defeating Western New England 9-2 in last year's season-opener.  

Sophomore Heidi Odenwaelder (Goshen, Conn.) and senior Rachal Duffy (Marlton, N.J.) scored goals for the Colonials.

Keene State scored goals in a span of three minutes to take an early 2-0 lead.  Habelow scored on a corner at the 31:19 mark and Ranaud blasted a shot into the far corner of the net.

Odenwaelder cut the Owls lead to 2-1, scoring after a scramble in front of the net.

The Owls tacked on two more goals before the end of the half.  Lemoine got her first goal of the game at the 9:58 mark and Smith completed the first half scoring a minute later.

Medeiros opened the scoring in the second half; carry the ball just inside the circle and letting go a drive that beat WCSU freshman goalie Kristy Trotta (Danbury, Conn.)

After Duffy scored on a penalty stroke to make it 5-2, KSC went back on the offensive, scoring three goals over the final six minutes.  Dolan scored on a rebound to put KSC up 6-2.  Lemoine converted a centering pass from Rabenius for her second goal of the game and eighth of the season. Left alone in the middle of the circle, Rabenius also netted her eighth goal of the campaign to complete the scoring.

Keene State unloaded 46 shots on the Western Conn. goal and had a wide 18-1 advantage in corner opportunities.

Sophomore Chloe Audesse (Goffstown, N.H.) started in goal for KSC.  Sophomore Meaghan Dwyer (Rutland, Mass.) and freshman Allison Sonia (Lee, N.H.) also saw time in the net.  Neither goalie recorded a save.

Trotta had a busy day between the pipes for the Colonials, finishing with 22 saves, before giving way to senior Courtney Hearn (New Fairfield, Conn.), who stopped one shot.

Keene State is off until Wednesday when they travel to Salem State for a 6 p.m. LEC game against the Vikings.