KEENE, N.H. 9/13/13 – Keene State College edged Springfield College 6-5 in a high-scoring, non-conference field hockey game played at Owl Athletic Complex on Friday. Leading 4-1 at the half, Keene State withstood a second half rally by the Pride.

The Owls, (5-0) who remain undefeated, are off to their best start since opening the 2009 season 6-0.  Springfield falls to 1-2. 

Junior Melissa Habelow (Belmont, Mass.) had two goals, both on corners, to lead KSC.  Senior Kelly Gallo (Westfield, Mass.), who scored twice on penalty strokes, and sophomore Olivia Cabral (Sayville, N.Y.) each had two goals for Springfield.

"We played really well the first half and they came out fired up in the second half," said Habelow. "But we kept it together and came out with the win."

"I have to give Springfield credit. It takes a lot to fight back," said senior Leddy Gallagher (Acton, Mass.). "A lesson learned, you can never let down regardless of the score"

Keene State scored early and often in the first half, taking a 3-0 goals in the first 11 minutes of the game.  Set up in front, freshman Kayla Renaud (Somers, Conn.) gave KSC a 1-0 lead at the 29:28 mark.  Two minutes later, Hablelow scored the first of her two goals on a corner to make it 2-0.  Senior Katelyn Simula (Bridgewater, N.H.) competed the scoring spree when she scored on a rebound off a corner three minutes later to up the score to 3-0. Junior Julia Forgione (Windham, N.H.) scored her first goal of the season on a deflection at the side of the net to stake the Owls to a 4-0 lead.

Gallo scored the first of her two goals on penalty strokes to cut the Owls lead to 4-1 at the half.

KSC switch goalies at the start of the second half with freshman Nicole DeFilippo (Newton, N.H.) replacing sophomore Chloe Audesse (Goffstown, N.H.)

Sophomore Olivia Cabral (Sayville, N.Y.) ignited the Pride's comeback by scoring a pair of goals to make it a one goal (4-3) game.

Hablelow answered with a hard drive off a corner for her second goal of the game and third of the season to give the Owls a two goal (5-3) cushion. "We've been working on corners.  Kat's (Katelyn Simula) injections are phenomenal and I just finish it," said Habelow.

Two minutes later, Gallo got her second goal on a penalty stroke to make it 5-4.

Senior Lyndsie Rabenius (North Hampton, N.H.) came right back less than a minute later to give KSC a two goal advantage (6-4) with a hard shot from just inside the circle that found the corner of the net. 

That goal proved to be crucial.  Returning into the Owls' goal, Audesse made a couple of key saves down the stretch, including one on Gallo in front, to keep the Pride at bay.  Springfield didn't give up.  Sophomore Libby Hart (Chatham, Mass.)  scored on a scramble following a corner to cut the lead to 6-5 with eight minutes to go.

Gallagher made sure Springfield wouldn't get the equalizer in the final minutes of play. Getting control of the ball, she dribbled out the closing seconds in the corner of the field as time expired. "I was just trying to kill time," she said.  "They can't score if they don't have the ball."

The Owls had a slim 19-16 advantage in shots and had the better of corner chances 11-8.

Audesse finished the game with eight saves while DeFilippo didn't get credit for a save in her 8:46 between the pipes.  Sophomore Timarie Villa (Mashpee, Mass.) stopped six shots for Springfield.

Keene State will be right back at Owls Athletic Complex on Saturday (1:30 p.m.), opening its Little East schedule with a game against Fitchburg State.