Box Score

9 Different Goal Scorers Leads to Owls Opening Day Victory over Western Connecticut
 
DANBURY, Conn.- Ben Bunnell, Joe Nutting, and Cooper Cioffi each found the back of the twine three times in the contest as the Keene State men's lacrosse team opened their 2021 campaign with a convincing 17-5 victory over hosing Western Connecticut State University. KSC trailed for all of 1:47 throughout the contest.
 
Records

• Keene State:  1-0, 1-0 LEC
• Western Connecticut: 0-1. 0-1 LEC

How it Happened
In their first game since March 4, 2020 the Keene State men's lacrosse team came out of the gates firing but were held at bay by West Conn in the first quarter. Both squads exchanged goals in the opening minutes of the contest as West Conn's Benjamin Hawthrone and KSC's Justin Norris would net the opening tallies of their respective teams. Keene State would take their first lead of the game on a through pass from Max Thurston who found Bunnell giving the Owls the 2-1 lead less than eight minutes into the 60-minute competition. West Conn and Keene State would go back and forth on goals for the remainder of the first quarter, as Timothy Yannucci collected a pass from Eric Caldwell to tie the game for West Conn followed by senior Colin Ford netting an unassisted tally for Keene. Donald Schaumloffel would score the final goal of the quarter for West Conn, tying the game at three heading into the second frame.  KSC came out with 12 shots in the first quarter, as compared to West Conn's six. Owls netminder Chase Chamberlin was credited with one save in the first. 
 
Just 15 seconds into the second quarter, senior Joe Nutting would score his first of the season after being tied for the team lead with seven tallies last season.  Following Nutting's goal, KSC would get the next two as Bunnell and Cioffi would score, with helpers from Nutting and Paxton Blanchard. West Conn and Keene would add two late goals with under three minutes to play in the quarter, giving KSC the 7-4 advantage heading into the second half. In the half, Keene State dominated the shots department, racking up 13 as compared to just two for Western Connecticut. Two of the goals in the quarter came on the power play for KSC, making the team 2-2 in the first half. Keene State won all five face offs in the second quarter and scooped nine ground balls. 
 
Keene State would take the commanding lead in the third quarter thanks to six consecutive goals by the Owls. Cioffi, Thurston, Bunnell, and Nutting would all beat goalkeeper for West Conn Perry Cassidy to give KSC the 13-4 lead after three quarters of play. The Owls Travis Hamilton would also get on the board with an assist on Cioffi's second goal of the afternoon. For the third straight quarter, the Owls came out dominating, putting together 14 shots and winning four faceoffs. West Conn was held scoreless in the quarter while picking up five groundballs and succeeding on two out of three clears.  Chamberlin came away with three saves in the quarter to keep Western Connecticut without a goal on the board. 

First collegiate goals from Colby Quiet, Andrew Miller, and Ben Wright would all but seal the deal for the Owls in the fourth quarter as KSC got production from their full lineup in the win. Haeden Finerty, Nathan Sickles, and Corbin White would all add on assists for the Owls as KSC held West Conn to just one second half goal and 12 shots total in the second half. With the win for the Owls, it marks their 14^th consecutive win against Western Connecticut, dating all the way back to 2008. KSC has won 19 of the 20 matchups between these two schools. Keene State came away with 51 shots in the contest, collected 33 ground balls, and caused 16 turnovers, led by junior Shane Molloy who had five. 
 
Inside the Crease

• Keene State picks up their first win of the season and first win overall since May 4, 2019 in the Little East Conference Championship game against Plymouth State. KSC improves to 9-0 all time at the Westside Athletic Complex. 
• Senior Joe Nutting led all scorers on the afternoon with three goals and two assists while also firing seven shots, six on goal. 
• Colin Ford (1 G), Andrew Miller, (1 G) Cooper Cioffi (3 G), and Colby Quiet (1 G, 2 A) would all credit their first career collegiate points for the Owls on the afternoon. 
• The goalkeeping tandem of Chase Chamberlin and Alex Fawcett came away with four saves each for the Owls on the afternoon. Western Connecticut goalkeeper Perry Cassidy came away with 11 saves on the afternoon, surrendering all 17 goals scored by KSC. 
• Keene State also had a big advantage in caused turnovers on the afternoon, crediting 16 while West Conn was only able to collect five. KSC was 20-20 in clears, West Conn was slightly less successful going 14-20. 

Up Next 

• Keene State will remain on the road and take on Eastern Connecticut State from Rick McCarthy Field on April 10 at 1:00 pm. KSC has knocked off Eastern Connecticut 11 straight times. 
• West Conn will remain at home and host the Huskies of Southern Maine for a 1:00 tilt on April 3. Western is 11-6 all time against Southern Maine.