Box Score KEENE, N.H. –
Ellie Hunkins put home
Grace Taylor's effort in the 75th minute to continue her goal-scoring binge as the Keene State College field hockey team downed Western Connecticut State University 2-1 in double overtime in a Little East Conference contest Saturday afternoon at Owl Athletic Complex.
Records
- Keene State: 2-7, 2-1 LEC
- Western Connecticut: 2-4, 1-2 LEC
How It Happened
The Owls, who have still never lost to Western, dialed up massive advantages of 32-3 in shots and 28-8 in penalty corners and it eventually paid off, as they snapped a three-game losing streak overall and a three-game slide in overtime games with the win. After a scoreless opening half where WestConn managed just one shot total (KSC 10) and none in the final 23:21, it was actually the visitors who scored first. Western had a succession of three consecutive penalty corners nearly right off the bat to start the final 30 minutes and the third time proved to be the charm, as Nora Swift fed Alessia Callahan for a blast from the top of the circle for a 1-0 lead. WCSU goalkeeper Kayla Hnasko more than kept her team in the game, making six stops in the first half and 15 overall in the game, but KSC found a way past her in the 42nd minute when
Irini Stefanakos scored for the seventh time this season. The Owls' answered just 5:54 after Western took a somewhat improbable lead.
KSC's
Molly Edmark stopped Olivia Moore's shot 47 seconds into the fourth and Western Connecticut was awarded two more corner chances shortly after, but they could not generate a shot and the Owls dominated the remainder of the quarter. Keene State had eight corner chances and forced Hnasko to make four stops in the period as she denied
Grace Taylor twice and Hunkins once in a 19-second span. Stefanakos was also stopped by the WCSU keeper shortly thereafter and saw her chance at a game-winning goal in the waning seconds go wide.
The overtime periods were a continuation of the previous 60 minutes as the Owls continued to dominate territorially, this time to the tune of a 10-0 shots edge. Hnasko kept her team hanging around with four more stops, but Keene State's game-winner did eventually come after pressure forced a WCSU turnover outside the circle and allowed Taylor to carry the ball in, feeding Hunkins after a scramble in the box for the Owl victory.
Edmark got the win by making two saves.
Penalty Strokes
- Hunkins has scored in three straight and five of the past six contests. She has seven shots on target in the last two games and 23 over the past six.
- Stefanakos was all over the field offensively, registering 14 shots (seven on target).
- After seeing the opening 14 games of the head-to-head series end in regulation , two of the last four meetings have been decided in double overtime, both 2-1 KSC wins (the other in Danbury).
Up Next
- It was a brief stop at home, as KSC is right back on the road this Tuesday, September 28 when they visit Plymouth State University (4-2, 2-1 LEC) for a 6:00 p.m. start.
- Western Connecticut goes to Framingham State University (2-3, 0-3 LEC) on the same night at 7:00 p.m.
