DANBURY, Conn. – Sophomore Autumn Sorice scored two second-half goals to lead the Western Connecticut State University women's soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Little East Conference rival Keene State College in the final game of the regular season for both teams Saturday evening at the Westside Athletic Complex.

With the win, Western improves to 14-5-1 on the season, and 5-1-1 in the Little East Conference.  Keene State falls to 9-6-4, 3-3-1 in the LEC.  The win gives Western a bye in the first round of this year's Little East Conference tournament, and the Colonials will host the winner of Tuesday's game between UMass Boston and Plymouth State in Boston.  

Keene State will be the No. 5 seed in the LEC tournament and will travel to UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday for an opening round LEC tournament game. 

Western kept the ball pinned in the Keene State end of the field for the game's first 10 minutes, taking the first three shots of the game.

With just under 20 minutes played, Sorice attacked the middle of the Keene State defense, taking back to back shots that were blocked by KSC defenders.  The play ended with junior Emily Newhard heading the ball just wide of the left post.

At the end of the half, Western held a 13-3 advantage in shots, but the scoreboard still read 0-0.

At the 52:19 mark of the second half, Western broke the scoreless tie when the Colonials were awarded a corner kick.  Junior Celia DeVoe took the corner for Western and lifted the ball across the face of the goal from the right side.  Senior Rebecca Rivera, who had been positioned just off the left post, deflected the ball into the goal, squeezing it between a Keene State defender and the post, to give Western a 1-0 lead.

Western got a little breathing room 15 minutes later at the 67:34 mark when Sorice brought the ball across midfield, dribbled around three Keene State defenders and broke into the box unchecked.  After fading right, she drilled a low shot cross-cage, and deposited the ball in the back left corner of the cage for a 2-0 Western lead.

In the closing seconds of the game, Sorice again flashed her foot-work skills as she dribbled the ball around a Keene State defender on the left side of the box, and again broke in on the goal undefended.  This time she rocketed a shot directly over the head of the Keene State keeper and just under the middle of the cross-bar, to make Western's final margin of victory 3-0.

For the game, Western held a 22-7 advantage in shots, while Keene State had a 5-4 edge in corner kicks.  Western's keeper, sophomore Jillian Fernandez finished with six saves to pick up the win for Western, while junior Danielle Warhall had a heroic first half with nine saves to keep the game scoreless, and finished with 12 saves in a losing effort for Keene State.

(Release courtesy WCSU)