KEENE, N.H. – Junior Irini Stefanakos scored three goals and added two assists while sophomore Grace Bazin finished with two goals and three helpers as the Keene State College field hockey team rolled to a 7-3 romp over Rivier University in the first-ever meeting between the two teams in non-conference action Thursday night at the Owl Athletic Complex.

Records

• Keene State:  9-6
• Rivier:  5-7

Postgame Interview (Coach Watson)
Postgame Interview (Irini Stefanakos)

How It Happened
The Owls wasted little time asserting themselves, and once they opened the scoring 10:33 in on a tipped in goal from Grace Seabury off Grace Bazin's shot, the flood gates opened and KSC was off to the races, winning for the second time in the past three games following a three-game road losing streak.  Most of the damage was thanks to the Owls' pair of leading scorers, with Stefanakos' hat trick coming on the heels of a two-goal game against No. 21-ranked Trinity College (Conn.) on Tuesday.  The duo was a factor in every goal Keene State scored tonight, whether it be scoring or assisting.  With a little more than a minute left in the opening quarter and the Owls up 1-0, Emily White's pressure forced a Rivier turnover.  On the restart, Elizabeth Gonyea found White on the left side, who fired a centering ball to Stefanakos in the circle that was rocketed in for her 11th goal of the season and a 2-0 lead.

The score remained that way for quite a while, with Rivier managing their first true offensive push in the second quarter, though it resulted in two failed penalty corners and only one shot.  KSC tacked on a third goal late in the third off another rush up the left side, as after clogging up the Raiders' advance up the field, Demetria Gonzalez's nice pass freed up Stefanakos, who carried into the circle and found Bazin by the endline.  The Vermont native fired into the middle on what looked like a shot, and Kalina Piasecki was there by the far post to tip home what turned out to be a perfect assist.  KSC led 3-0 at the 27:11 mark and wound up carrying that advantage into the locker room, outshooting Rivier 7-2.

Keene State turned the game into a rout quickly in the third quarter, scoring twice in the opening 4:28 out of the locker room to make it 5-0, and then two more times in a 2:57 span between the third and fourth for a seven-goal outburst.  Just 2:21 into the second half, Stefanakos and Bazin connected with each other for a goal.  Stefanakos began the push by passing into space up the left side for Bazin, who then carried into the circle by the end line and dished back to Stefanakos, who beat Rivier goalkeeper Kylie Coupal to her left with Bazin lingering around the cage to make it 4-0.  The fifth goal barely over two minutes later was again familiar, as Bazin continued to torch the Raiders, again carrying up the left side and this time doing it herself, backing down and beating Coupal and defender Maeve Perras for a goal.

Leading 5-0, the Owls kept pouring it on, particularly in transition, as Paula Vasiliadis connected with Stefanakos on a nice pass into time and space up the middle, who dished off to Bazin, who again carried in and beat Coupal between the legs in the 43rd minute.  Less than a minute into the fourth, Stefanakos capped off her hat trick by polishing off a nice feed from Jennifer Erikson to make it 7-0.

Rivier got on the board through Madison Streeter in the 49th minute and ultimately scored three times in 3:51 down the stretch to set the final margin.

Coupal made six saves and allowed seven goals for the Raiders in the loss, seeing 48:13 of action.

Clara Gorman picked up the win for KSC, stopping two shots.

Penalty Strokes

• Stefanakos has scored in three consecutive games (and has six goals in that span).  She and Bazin have a combined 26 goals, 12 assists, and 82 shots on goal in KSC's 15 games.
• The Owls moved over .500 at home (4-3).
• Hannah Wood and Madeline Silvester each had defensive saves in Rivier's late offensive flurry.'
• KSC had a 13-9 edge in shots, though seven of the Raiders' came in the final 11:47.

Up Next

• Keene State resumes Little East Conference action at Western Connecticut State University (4-7, 1-1 LEC) on Saturday, October 14 at 12:00 p.m.  The Wolves have lost five in a row by a combined 19-2 score.
• Rivier continues GNAC play at University of St. Joseph (Conn.) (3-9, 3-5 GNAC) on the same day (3:30 p.m.).