KEENE, N.H. 9/15/13 – A rare Sunday night game didn't help turn the Owls' fortunes around, who are still looking for their first win of the season after dropping a 3-2 non-conference men's soccer game to Endicott College before a spirited crowd at Owl Athletic Complex.

            It's the first time the two teams have met and the first time Keene State opened its season 0-5 since 1958.

            Freshman Edwin Demoya (Salem, Mass.) had two goals for the Gulls, including the game-winner late in the first half.

            "The first 15 minutes we played great and then like every other game we get down a goal and stop playing," said KSC Coach Ron Butcher. "Right now we're snake-bitten, but I don't have an answer because I've never been in this situation before.  Together we learn and together we move forward."

            Despite carrying play in the early going, the Owls fell behind 1-0.  Endicott got on the board at the 28:52 mark of the first half when junior Connor Gibbs (Westborough, Mass.) beat KSC sophomore goalie Mark Keller (Northborough, Mass.) with a shot into the top left corner of the net.

            Keene State tied the game three minutes later.  Senior Scott Douglas (East Greenwich, R.I.) sent a through ball to sophomore Eddie Mercer (South Hadley, Mass.), who buried the ball in the right corner of the net.

            Moments later, Douglas had a chance to give KSC the lead, but his drive went just past the far post.

            Looking for the go-ahead goal, senior Bobby Durben (Stow, Mass.) broke behind the Owls' defense.  Keller got a foot on Durben's shot, sending the ball into the air. Junior Ian Downing (New Boston, N.H.) came across and cleared the ball with a header.  

            Keeping the pressure on the Gulls went ahead 2-1 at the 20:23 mark when Demoya beat an Owl defender to ball, rolling it into the left corner of the net.

            At the 13:20 mark, KSC sophomore Ben Reif (Lunenburg, Mass.) sent senior Bryce Lawlor (Woodbury, Conn.) in, but Endicott sophomore goalie Austin Peluso (Farmington, Conn.)  came out and stopped his shot.

            The Gulls took a 3-1 lead with just over 10 minutes to go in the half on a nice individual effort by Demoya, who drove the ball into the top left corner of the net.

            KSC had a couple of opportunities to get within a goal midway in the second half.  Douglas had a free kick from 35-yards that Peluso tipped over the crossbar.  A minute later, freshman Jeremy Schneider (Pleasantville, N.Y.) had a volley that clanged off the post.    

            The Owls got a break to cut their deficit to 3-2 with 12:07 to play.  Douglas took a shot from 20-yards out that deflected off a Gull defender into the net,

            Despite pressuring for the equalizer, time ran out on the Owls.

            "The team is already dejected, but were missing key players right now and they're not going to be back," said Butcher.  "I have to stay positive, but it's one of those things where you don't know what to do."

            Keene State outshot the Gulls 26-15.  Making his first start of the season, Keller made six saves.  Peluso stopped seven shots for Endicott.

            The game featured a battle of two brothers.  KSC sophomore Eddie Mercer went up against his brother, Gull senior James Mercer and Owl sophomore Dylan Bisceglia (New Boston, N.H.) face his twin brother Kyle. .     

           Keene State host Worcester State on Wednesday (6:30 p.m.)