Box Score

SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – The Keene State women's soccer team traveled to take on Mount Holyoke College on Monday night, in their second to last regular season game of the 2023 season. After Isabella Moran would have her shot blocked by the arm of a Lyons' defender inside the penalty box, Alexa Skinner would bury the penalty kick into the back of the net, resulting in a 1-0 victory for the Owls.

Records

• Keene State: 8-3-7, 3-0-5 LEC
• Mount Holyoke College: 3-10-2, 1-8 NEWMAC

How it Happened

Keene State would control the first half, outshooting Mount Holyoke 11-4. Kendall Healey would look to open the scoring early for the Owls as she would get a shot on net in the fifth minute, but Lyons' goalie, Evie Krieg, would deny Healey of having two goals in as many games. Mount Holyoke would come back with two shots of their own over the next few minutes, but the first would go wide of the net, and Owls' goalkeeper, Sonia Moritz, would make the save on Avery Livingston's shot, to keep the match scoreless early. Keene State would have a few chances over the next six minutes, as they got four shots off. One would be blocked, and another would miss the net, while Krieg would make another two saves, coming on shots from Elizabeth Tschudin and Bryn Dickinson. The Lyons last two attempts of the half would come in the 18th and 24th minute, as Livingston and Grace Baines would both have their shots miss the target. A few minutes after Kreig would make another save on a shot from Tschudin, Giuliana Stolfi would send a corner kick into the Lyons box. The pass from Stolfi would deflect off a Lyons defender right in front of the goal line and roll to Isabella Moran, who would fire a shot on goal that would connect with an arm of a Lyons' defender, resulting in a penalty kick for the Owls. Alexa Skinner would take the penalty kick for the Owls and send the shot into the upper left of the goal, past Krieg, putting the Owls up 1-0 with nine minutes left in the first half. The Owls would get two more shots off before halftime, one missing the target, while Kreig made another save in net, coming from Elizabeth Kopicko, which would hold the Owls lead to only one going into the half. 
 
Mount Holyoke came out of halftime, looking to knot the game up at one apiece, as they would outshoot the Owls, 9-6 over the final 45 minutes of play. Keene State would get three shots off, to the Lyons two, across the first 15 minutes of the second half, although neither team would have their shots hit the net. In the 61st minute, Kopicko would record the first shot on net by either team in the second half, Kreig would make another save in net. The Lyons would get a pair of shots off, although Moritz would only need to make one save, as the other shot would miss the target. Neither team would attempt a shot over the next 10 minutes, until Mount Holyoke would take three shots in as many minutes; the first would come off a Lyons corner kick, that would find the head of Schuyler Pettibone, but the attempt would go wide of the net. Moritz would make a save on the second shot, and the third would come from Anna Kennedy, who would take a shot from inside the Owls' box, but it would ring off the crossbar and go out of play, as the Owls held onto their 1-0 lead with under 13 minutes left to play. Just a minute later, Joclynn Tyler looked to add an insurance goal for the Owls, but Kreig would deny Tyler's shot attempt on the breakaway. With under eight minutes left in the match, Moritz would make another save in net, as the Lyons would try to tie the game up at one apiece with little time left. Kopicko would attempt one more shot, her fifth of the day, with under three minutes remaining, but Kreig would make her final save of the day on the attempt. As time was winding down with 27 seconds left, Sonia McCollum would send a free kick on net for the Lyons, trying to tie the game up with little time left, but Moritz would make the save, ending the Lyons' comeback attempt as the Owls would hold on for the 1-0 win.
 
Kreig made eight saves in net, allowing one goal, coming from the penalty kick attempt. Moritz made five saves in her sixth shutout of the 2023 season.
 
Inside the Box

• With the win, Keene State improves to 3-0 all time against Mount Holyoke, outscoring the Lyons 4-0 across their three wins.
• Skinner's penalty kick goal is her second of the season (sixth overall goal). Both games that Skinner has recorded a penalty kick goal in, have been the only goal scored in the game (against Mount Holyoke and Hartwick).
• The Owls outshot the Lyons 17-13, including 9-5 in shots on goal.
• The Owls narrowly edged out the Lyons in corner kicks, 4-3. All four for Keene State came in the first half, while all three for Mount Holyoke came in the second half.
• Kopicko led all players with five shot attempts and four shots on goal.
• The win snaps the four-game winless streak for the Owls (three ties and a loss over their past four games). 

Up Next

Keene State's next game is on Wednesday, October 25, at 4:00 PM, as they will play in their final regular season game of 2023 and take on Fitchburg State on the road.
Mount Holyoke's next game is against Smith College on the road on Wednesday, October 25, at 3:30 PM.