Box Score MANSFIELD, Conn. – The Keene State College field hockey team came from two goals down to tie the game with four minutes left in regulation, but Isabel Sanchez's goal a little over four minutes into overtime gave Eastern Connecticut State University a 3-2 Little East Conference win Saturday afternoon at Rick McCarthy Field.
Records
- Keene State: 1-6, 1-1 LEC
- Eastern Connecticut: 3-1, 2-0 LEC
How It Happened
Entering this spring's game against the Warriors, Keene State had lost only twice in the series 16 years apart in 2001 and 2017. They have now lost that many times to Eastern in the last six months – both in overtime by 3-2 scores, both in Connecticut, and with both following an eerily similar script. The Owls did not lead in either contest, but nonetheless forced overtime twice. In the spring,
Chase Lambert scored the second of her pair of goals with 3:15 left in regulation to knot the game at two only to see Brianna Nolan give the Warriors the win 4:46 into overtime. Today, Keene State erased a 2-0 deficit by scoring twice in the second half, capped off by
Ellie Hunkins' marker that made it 2-2 with four minutes to go in regulation, but Sanchez potted the winner 4:18 into the extra session.
Demetria Gonzalez recorded her first career goal in the 38th minute to bring the Owls within one after she redirected
Lauren Hausser's bid off a corner before adding an assist on Hunkins' tying goal, but KSC fell for the sixth time in seven games. The Owls held Eastern Connecticut to just eight shots in the game – five on goal – but three found the back of the cage. In fact, five of the Warriors' shots came in the second quarter when they scored twice in 8:25 on tallies by Corey Callahan and Sydney Collentine for a 2-0 lead. They managed just three in the other 49:18. ECSU's first goal was their first recorded shot attempt of the game. KSC had five in the opening quarter, but Sarah Gallagher made three stops in 7:46, two on Gonzalez and one on
Irini Stefanakos to keep the Owls off the board. Gallagher kept out two other Keene State tries in the closing minutes of the first half to keep it a 2-0 game.
The final 30 minutes of regulation were all Keene State, as they outshot the Warriors 8-2 and had a 9-3 edge in corner chances, but ECSU made the only shot of overtime count as the Owls lost in extra time for the second time this season and third straight overall since Erica Chareth's double overtime winner against Smith College on October 30, 2019.
Gallagher (3-1) stopped 10 of 12 shots to pick up the win in the ECSU cage.
Molly Edmark (1-6) made two saves for Keene State.
The Owls had a 15-8 edge in shots (12-5 on goal) and 15-5 in penalty corners.
Penalty Strokes
- Hunkins has scored in three of the past four games and has 13 shots in that span. She and Stefanakos have combined to score 10 goals this season.
- Keene State has allowed their opponent to score first in five of seven games this season (0-5).
- KSC leads the all-time series 23-4. Three of the losses are by one goal, all since 2017.
Up Next
- Keene State visits New England College (6-1) on Wednesday, September 22 for a 7:00 p.m. start.
- Eastern Connecticut goes to Roger Williams University (4-1) on the same day and time.
