Box Score WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – A pair of goals less than three minutes apart helped the Eastern Connecticut State University women's soccer team to a 3-1 win over Keene State College in a rematch of the 2013 LEC Championship game on Saturday.
Both teams now have 1-1 records in the LEC. Keene State is now 5-5 overall, while the Warriors are 5-3-1.
The teams traded 30-yard first-half free-kick goals by freshmen (both wearing uniform No. 5): Keene's Taylor Farland and Eastern's Maggie Bodington, before Becher scored twice inside 12 yards on her own rebounds midway through the second half.
On Becher's first goal – which gave Eastern the lead for good with 62:39 gone, Keene senior goalkeeper Victoria Crenson saved an initial shot from in close by Eastern senior Taylor Shannon – who was moved from back to forward to start the match -- then knocked down Becher's first attempt before Becher followed up another shot that a prone Crenson could not deny. Becher's second goal was a virtual carbon-copy of her first and came 2:24 later, as she scored her team-leading sixth goal to give Eastern a two-goal cushion.
The win was first at home in over three weeks for Eastern, which had dropped its last two overall to Western Connecticut, 1-0, in the LEC opener at Nevers Field, and Tuesday, 2-1, at Wesleyan University.
Keene, playing its first road match in 17 days, struck early (5:38 gone) on Farland's team-leading fifth goal of the year. Farland drove a 30-yard free kick into the upper right-hand corner of the net, giving Eastern junior keeper Rachel Skelton no chance to challenging.
One of the team's three starting backs, Bodington answered for Eastern with her first career goal on a free kick from a near-identical spot as Farland. Bodington's drive was perfectly-placed, sailing under the crossbar, with Crenson also helpless to make a play.
Thirty seconds after Becher's go-ahead goal, Farland had an opportunity to tie the game for Keene, when she had the ball on her front with room, but her shot sailed over the crossbar from 12 yards. With her team down 3-1, senior midfielder Maggie Grayson also had an opportunity to get the Owls on the board again, but she headed a perfectly-served cross over the cross bar with three minutes left.
Eastern looked to add to its lead in the closing minutes, when sophomore midfielder Hailey Lehning beat two defenders and hit the crossbar with a left-footed shot. Freshman reserve Taylor Ross was there for the rebound, but Keene sophomore reserve keeper Dannielle Warhall was there to make the save.
Eastern visits Connecticut College Tuesday at 4 p.m. Keene State travels to Wheaton College (Mass.) on October 1 at 4 p.m.
(Release courtesy ECSU Sports Information)
