KEENE, N.H. – The Keene State College field hockey team limited Springfield College to just two shot attempts in the opening half to take a one-goal edge into the break and then put the game away with a goal each in the third and fourth quarters as they opened their 2024 campaign with a 3-0 shutout victory over Springfield College on Friday night at the Owl Athletic Complex.
The Owls (1-0; 13-9 in 2023) have now won consecutive season openers after dropping the previous four prior to that, and have blanked the Pride (0-1; 10-10 in 2023) in consecutive years after a 2-0 victory on the road a season ago. In that contest, KSC somehow managed to nullify a 22-1 disadvantage in penalty corners and overcame being outshot 16-9 including 10-2 in the opening 30 minutes. Tonight, with what figures to be a team in contention, the Owls were far more in control, outshooting the visitors 14-11 including a 7-2 edge in the first half – an opening 30 minutes that saw just one corner for each team.
An experienced and deeper offensive lineup proved to be the difference on this night. Despite leading scorer
Irini Stefanakos being held without a point, the Owls got a goal and an assist each from
Grace Seabury and
Molly Murray. It was Murray that opened the scoring in the 19th minute, as she inserted a corner to the top where it was gathered and fired toward the cage by newcomer
Alessandra Vidal (Molly University transfer), where Murray was just feet from where she began to redirect it in for a 1-0 lead. It was nearly 2-0 eight minutes later, but
Meghan Daileanes shot wide and hit the post within 103 seconds of each other to keep it a one goal game.
Springfield brought more offense out of the locker room, matching their first half shot total within the first six minutes, but
Clara Gorman denied both and helped deliver momentum for the ensuing minutes, when the Owls would double their lead at the 37:41 mark. Off a restart, Murray was watched by two defenders and threaded a pass that bounced to
Grace Seabury in perfect position in front to set up essentially a 1v1 with Springfield keeper Kaitlyn Parent. She did not miss, making a move to her right and firing a shot in for a 2-0 KSC lead.
Seabury was then the helper on the Owls' third goal for the icing on the cake, as she took a pass on the left from Vidal on a corner play and fired into the middle, where
Grace Bazin was there to slide it home in the 49th minute and essentially lock up a winning start for KSC.
Gorman made six saves in the shutout effort, three of which came after the three-goal lead was established. KSC also warded off five corner chances by Springfield in the final quarter after they had just three up to that point.
Parent made five saves in the loss.
The victory also snapped a three-game home losing streak to Springfield, who last lost in Keene in 2015 (3-1). The Owls now lead the all-time series 15-14.
Keene State is off until Wednesday (September 4) when they visit Colby-Sawyer College (14-5 in 2023) for a 4:00 p.m. start.
