KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State women's soccer team returned home on Saturday to Dr. Ron Butcher Field for their last LEC home game of the season as they hosted the University of Southern Maine in a key conference matchup for the Owls. After 90 minutes, neither team would score as the defenses would lock down the opposing team's offenses resulting in a 0-0 draw. 

Records

• Keene State: 7-2-5, 3-0-4 LEC
• Southern Maine: 11-0-4, 4-0-2 LEC

Postgame Interview (Coach Testo)

How It Happened
Although neither team would score in the first half, it was fairly even, with USM slightly outshooting KSC, 9-7, over the first 45 minutes of play. The first chance for either team would come just under 10 minutes into the contest as Riley Reitchel would chip a shot over the Owls goalkeeper, Sonia Moritz, from inside the Owls' box, only for Giuliana Stolfi to make the save by kicking the ball out of the air by the left post, keeping the game scoreless early on. Each team would be able to get a couple shots off as the first half went on, but they would either go wide of the net, or be blocked by the opposing defense. With just about 20 minutes remaining in the first, the Huskies charged down the field and into the Owls' defensive zone, as Catriona Gould would send a pass into the box that would skip past Moritz, only to have her defense back her up, as Alexa Skinner, Claire Halligan, and Kathleen Mullin would combine to help stop the cross and clear the ball of the Owls' zone. Just a couple minutes later, Ashley Sabatino would get a clean shot off for the Huskies, only for Moritz to make her first save on the day, keeping the score 0-0. Each team would get a pair of shots off throughout the next 10 minutes of play, but all of them would be wide of the target. KSC would get their first shot of the game with seven minutes remaining in the first half, as Cristina Sanders would send a shot on net from the edge of the Huskies' box, but USM's goalie, Breanna Atwood, would make the save, keeping the score 0-0, heading into halftime.
 
USM would control the second half, outshooting the Owls 21-2, including 9-1 on shots on goal. In the first 20 minutes of the second half, the Huskies would get eight shots before the Owls would be able to get one of their own off. Although three of the shots would go wide for the Huskies, Elizabeth Tschudin and Skinner would each block a shot, helping Moritz, who would save the other three shots from USM. KSC's one shot on goal in the second half came from Tschudin, where after juking out Husky defenders with a spin move, fired a shot on net, that Atwood would make the save on. With just under 20 minutes remaining in the match, USM would be on the attack, as Reitchel would see her shot from outside the box ring off the crossbar. Shortly after, Moritz would make a pair of saves, just 20 seconds apart, as she continued to blank the Huskies attack. USM tried everything they could to try to come away from Dr. Ron Butcher Field with a win, as they would muster off seven shots in the final 10 minutes of the game. Of the final seven shots, three would go wide of the target, Gould would have a shot bounce off the right post, and Moritz would make three saves in net, including one in the final 30 seconds of the match, securing the 0-0 draw on the day for the two teams.
 
Atwood made two saves on the day for the Huskies. While for KSC, Moritz made a season-high 10 saves on the day, good for her fifth shutout of the season (fourth of past five games), improving to 4-0-4 in 2023 when she has played the full 90 minutes.  
 
In her postgame in postgame interview, Moritz praised her defense again for their help in keeping the game scoreless, "They have helped me tremendously, they block shots and they run so much. I would not have five shutouts without them. They are amazing, they put their body on the line, just like I do."
 
Head Coach of the Keene State women's soccer team, Sarah Testo talked in her postgame interview about how her team performed today, "I thought we played really hard; I think Sonia made some great saves for us to keep us in the game. I think just getting them to believe that they can compete with anybody in the conference, and I think that they have proven that so far. Testo also touched on how her defense performed, "Our defense was spectacular today, so they just keep keeping the ball out of the back of the net. The back line they pride themselves on [being that security blanket for Moritz]."
 
Inside the Box

• With the draw, Keene State still leads the all-time series between the two teams, 22-4-2, ending the Huskies two game winning streak where they outscored the Owls 10-2.
• The Huskies outshot the Owls 30-9, including 11-2 on shots on goal.
• USM had the advantage on the corner kicks, having five to KSC's two.
• Reitchel led all players in shots (7) and shots on goal (4).

Up Next

Keene State's next game is their senior day at Dr. Ron Butcher Field on Sunday, October 15, at 1:00 pm against Husson University.
Southern Maine plays at home for their next game on Saturday, October 21, at 1:00 PM, as they host Western Connecticut State.