Box Score MANSFIELD, Conn.-
Nathan Sickles,
Joe Nutting, and
Cooper Cioffi all went for three goals in the Owls dominating win over the Eastern Connecticut State University Warriors on Saturday afternoon. The Owls opened up with a 4-0 lead after the first quarter and never looked back, piling eight additional goals in the second quarter to Eastern's only one. Keene State went on to outscore the Warriors in the third quarter in their eventual 19-6 win from Rick McCarthy field.
Records
- Keene State: 2-0 (2-0 LEC)
- Eastern Connecticut: 4-2 (1-1 LEC)
How it Happened
It did not take long for Keene State to get going and take the momentum in the opening minutes of the first quarter. KSC's goalkeeper
Chase Chamberlin came up big with three saves in the first five minutes, holding the Warriors scoreless. Keene State would open the scoring as sophomore
Nathan Sickles fired a shot passed the Warriors keeper, giving the Owls the 1-0 lead. KSC would continue the goal scoring in the first quarter as Cooper Cioff, and
Justin Norris would get on the board, with Norris picking up two goals in a five-minute span giving the Owls the 4-0 lead at the end of the quarter. KSC GK
Chase Chamberlin came away with six saves out of the six shots on goal the Warriors took in the quarter. Eastern Connecticut was successful on all five faceoffs in the quarter.
KSC would pepper goalkeeper Jack Farrell in the second quarter but before they did, Eastern would cut Keene's four goal lead into a three-goal lead as Camden Brown opened the scoring in the second quarter for ECSU. KSC would respond with eight consecutive goals to close out the half.
Colby Quiet,
Joe Nutting,
Cooper Cioffi,
Nathan Sickles, and
Andrew Miller all found twine in the quarter, putting the game virtually out of reach in the second quarter. KSC took 13 shots in the second quarter, putting 12 on goal. KSC scooped 15 ground balls in the quarter and turned the tables on Eastern in the faceoff circle, besting ECSU in five out of the nine draws.
Although Keene State had the 11-goal lead heading into the third quarter, the Owls stayed on the gas pedal and continued to pour on the goals Saturday afternoon.
Ethan Holcomb would pick up his first career goal in an Owl uniform and his first career collegiate point overall when he took a pass from
Joe Nutting and made no mistake at finding the back of the goal for the first time in his career.
Ben Bunnell also found twine in between two goals from the Warriors to give Keene State the 17-3 lead after three quarters of play.
To end the contest,
Robert Duarte would pick up his first and second collegiate goals of his career, getting an assist from
Ben Wright on his second to put the Owls ahead 19-5. ECSU tacked on one extra after the second tally of the afternoon from Duarte, giving the Owls a 19-6 win when the horn went off over the Warriors. It is the second game in a row between these two teams that the Owls have scored 19 goals, as they did so back at the Owl Athletic Complex when ECSU visited Keene on April 3, 2019. KSC has won 12 straight against Eastern Connecticut.
Inside the Crease
- Cooper Cioffi and Joe Nutting led all scorers with fine points apiece, both finding the back of the net three times and collecting two assists.
- For the Warriors, Sean Anderson tallied two goals on the afternoon and Zacharie Appolon scored once and added two assists for Eastern.
- In the win, KSC saw three goalkeepers tend the twine with Chase Chamberlin, Alex Fawcett, and Baylor Bridges all seeing time in the cage. Chamberlin, who was credited with the win, made 13 saves, all coming in the first half. Fawcett made a total of two saves in 27:39 played, and Baylor Bridges made one save in 2:21 of action.
- KSC scooped 40 ground balls on the afternoon, led by freshman Colby Quiet who collected six of those. Defenders Corbin White and Shane Molloy each collected five ground balls of their own.
- KSC moves to 21-17 all time against Eastern Connecticut, having success in their last 12 games against the Warriors. The Owls last loss at Rick McCarthy field came in 2012.
- Keene State and Eastern Connecticut stayed close in shots throughout the contest, with KSC shooting 38 times and Eastern shooting 37 times. Keene State goalkeeping game away with 17 saves, with the tandem of Jack Farrell and John Funk coming away with nine saves for ECSU.
Up Next
- Keene State will remain on the road, which they will do for the remainder of the season when they travel to Henniker, New Hampshire and New England College to take on the Pilgrims on Wednesday, April 14 for a 7:00 pm start time from Don Melander field. KSC has won their last four meetings against NEC, with their last meeting coming in 2011.
- Eastern Connecticut will travel a short way to face in state rival Western Connecticut State for a 7:00 pm start from the Westside Athletic Complex on Tuesday, April 13.
