KEENE, N.H. – First year goalkeeper Clara Gorman made nine saves and senior defender Hailey Patridge tied the game with a blast from the top of the circle off a corner late in the third quarter, but Springfield College scored what proved to be the game-winning goal 58 seconds into the fourth quarter as they beat the Keene State College field hockey team 2-1 Saturday afternoon at the Owl Athletic Complex in the season opener for both teams.

Records

• Keene State:  0-1
• Springfield:  1-0

Highlights
Postgame Interview (Coach Watson)
Postgame Interview (Clara Gorman)

How It Happened
The Owls generated eight of their 11 shots in the game after halftime and had 14 penalty corner chances – six more than Springfield – but put only four of their shots on target and dropped their season opener by one goal for the third straight year.  KSC's last win in their first game came in 2018, a 2-1 victory at home over the University of New England, who they were supposed to again open against this past Thursday night in Maine before it was postponed to a later date.  Instead, the Owls got to open at home on a sunny summer day with the temperature around 80 degrees.

The Pride, coming off a 5-12 season, controlled most of the action in the action in the first half – particularly the second quarter when they outshot Keene State 9-0.  Gorman made five saves in less than three minutes early in the period to keep the game scoreless, including two on Audrey Bresciano within seven seconds of each other and a pair off the stick of Grace Levansavich barely over a minute later.  Springfield broke through and took a lead when Audrey Hayes scored on what appeared to be a centering feed that went off the back of Gorman's foot and into the cage in the 21st minute.  Keene State came up empty on three corner chances over the next four minutes and wound up trailing 1-0 at halftime.  The Pride threatened to double the lead despite playing down a player following a green card to Bresciano, but a pair of shots in the final three minutes of the half went wide.

Keene State had a big response out of the locker room, generating six corners in the opening 11 minutes of the third quarter including the last of which that produced the game-tying goal.  After the Owls had a pair of shot attempts off corners and one other go wide, they capitalized in the 42nd minute when Cahoon inserted to the top of the circle and Patridge, whose blast evaded Springfield goalkeeper Savanna Harvey to her right by a wide margin to tie the game at one.  KSC built momentum from there, generating another golden chance off the next rush, but Jennifer Erikson's bid was kicked aside by Harvey with 3:31 to go in the third.  Gorman kicked away a shot by Nicolette Morlock less than two minutes later to keep it tied heading to the final 15 minutes.

It did not take long for Springfield to regain the lead in the fourth, as they generated two corners in the opening minute and scored following the second one as Morlock took the inserting pass at the top of the circle and passed it off to Bresciano, who then found a streaking Morlock up the middle for a 2-1 lead with 14:02 to go.  KSC had a chance to answer with eight minutes left, as Chase Lambert had time and space, but her attempt that may have been going wide anyway hit Ellie Hunkins and dribbled around in front of the cage before a whistle gave Springfield the ball back.  Cahoon had a chance in close less than two minutes later as she tried to elevate the ball above Harvey's shoulder, but that attempt went wide.  The Owls had one final key bid with 1:34 on the clock as Hannah Wood split Springfield defenders and got a clean look at Harvey, but she kicked it out with her right foot and KSC could not do anything with the rebound.  Gorman added two saves to her tally in the final 40 seconds, but the Pride drained the clock by possessing the ball in their attacking part of the field for the vast majority of the final minute and a half.

Gorman (0-1) stopped nine of 11 shots in her collegiate debut.  Harvey improved to 1-0 after making three saves.

Penalty Strokes

• Springfield had a 15-11 edge in shots (11-4 on target), but KSC had 14 of 22 penalty corners in the game.  Nine of the visitors' shots came in the second quarter; they had six otherwise.
• KSC is 1-8 in one-goal games over the past two seasons.  They have dropped nine consecutive non-conference games dating to a 2-0 win at New England College on April 15, 2020.
• Springfield now leads the all-time series 14-13 after their third straight win and fourth in the last five tries. 
• Keene State was picked to win the Little East Conference in the preseason coaches poll, while the Pride were picked eighth in the nine-team NEWMAC.

Up Next

• KSC is not home again for two weeks and begins a stretch of three consecutive road games Wednesday (September 7) when they visit Colby-Sawyer College (1-0) for a 4:00 p.m. start.  The Chargers beat LEC opponent Plymouth State University 4-3 at home Saturday.
• Springfield hosts Worcester State University on Thursday, September 8 at 7:00 p.m.