WESTFIELD, Mass. – First year forward Grace Seabury scored after a scramble in the circle following a penalty corner after the first half clock expired, and that proved to be the only scoring of the night, as the Keene State College field hockey team downed Westfield State 1-0 in non-conference action Tuesday night at Alumni Field.

Records

• Keene State:  6-2
• Westfield State:  2-5

How It Happened
KSC had the statistical edge in most categories, especially in the second quarter when they outshot Westfield 9-1, and it finally paid off in the very last second of the first half as a result of a penalty corner chance.  Irini Stefanakos began the play with seven seconds left and Westfield goalkeeper Emma Gniadek made an initial save on Meghan Dailanes as the clock expired, but WSU could not clear, and Seabury capitalized, burying her second career goal to put KSC in front 1-0.  It was the second time in as many weeks she scored to give the Owls a 1-0 lead after she also did so against then-No. 10 Amherst College on September 12.  KSC went on to drop that game, but on this night, it ultimately proved to be the game-winner, and the only goal of the game.  Westfield had allowed eight goals in their previous two games in a pair of 4-0 losses, including in a MASCAC contest against Worcester State University, but on this night got a combined nine saves from their goalkeeping tandem of Gniadek and Paige Reisman (each playing a half) to keep them right in the game.  However, KSC got four saves from Clara Gorman and used their defense to hand Westfield a third consecutive shutout loss.

Outside of the second quarter, the chances were far more even, including in the second half when each team had seven shots.  However, three of WSU's four shots on goal came in the final 30 minutes including a pair in the fourth quarter, but Gorman stopped Kaleigh Murphy at the 48:36 mark and then Bre Foley with only 3:50 to go as the home team searched for an equalizing goal.

KSC had several chances early in the second half to build on their lead that they literally created right before going to the locker room, but Stefanakos and Grace Murphy were stopped by Reisman within the opening five minutes of the third quarter, and Grace Bazin and Stefanakos then fired wide a shortly thereafter.  Westfield then had chances in their direction midway through the quarter, but Gorman saved a try from Skyla Harthcock in the 38th minute, and two other shots were wide for the hosting Owls.  Westfield had only two penalty corner chances in the game, coming up empty on both, including one late in the third as Keene State carried their 1-0 lead into the fourth.

It was the fourth game decided by one-goal this season for KSC, and third straight (every game of their current winning streak).  Their last two victories have each been by a 1-0 score with a goal late in the first half.  Saturday, Molly Murray scored on a penalty stroke with 19 seconds left until the break and that proved to be the only scoring on that day, also.  Even further, KSC outshot the University of New England 7-0 in the second and then had to fend off the Nor'easters' push after halftime.

"We played tough team defense in another low-scoring game," said Keene State head coach Amy Watson.  "Offensively we had a lot of opportunities.  We just had a hard time finding the back of the net.  We'll have to step up our offensive game to be successful in conference play."

Gorman improved to 5-2 with her third shutout of the season and fourth of her career.

Penalty Strokes

• KSC outshot Westfield State 19-10, including 10-4 on goal.
• Keene State has dominated the series between two former conference opponents, winning the last 15 matchups and 28 of 29 all-time.  Keene had won the final league meeting between the two foes last year 3-1 at the Owl Athletic Complex on October 29, holding Westfield to just two shots.
• Twelve of KSC's 24 goals on the season, exactly 50 percent, have come from new first years or transfers (Bazin, a sophomore).

Up Next

• Keene State opens Little East Conference play in a now seven-team league on Friday, September 22 when they travel to the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (2-5, 0-1 LEC) for a 7:00 p.m. start.  The Corsairs have been outscored 25-8 on the season.
• Westfield State visits Western New England University (6-0) on Thursday, September 21 at 7:00 p.m.  The Golden Bears have a double overtime win over then-No. 12 Massachusetts Institute of Technology on September 9 and have since defeated a pair of overmatched opponents in their unbeaten start.