KEENE, N.H. – Junior forward Grace Bazin has been one of the most prolific goal scorers in NCAA field hockey this season, regardless of division.  She added another stellar performance to her season ledger Tuesday night, scoring three times in the opening 5:14 to move her season goal total to 16 as Keene State College mostly cruised past Clark University in a non-conference contest at the Owl Athletic Complex.

Postgame Interview (Amy Watson)
Postgame Interview (Grace Bazin)

It is the fourth time in eight games that KSC (8-0) has scored at least six goals, which has helped deliver the Owls a program-best unbeaten streak to start a season in the Division III era (since 1997).

Keene State torched the Cougars' (4-4) defense early and often, first burning them in transition barely over two minutes in as Irini Stefanakos threaded a pass to free three Owls in alone on Clark goaltender Rachel Reiter.  Meghan Daileanes rushed up the middle and into the circle before finding Bazin on her left, who rocketed a shot center cut into the back of the cage to put KSC up 1-0 quickly.

Clark, coming off a blowout loss to No. 5-ranked Babson College over the weekend, had a rapid response to KSC's tally, as Elizabeth Cacciapaglia scored her first of the season just 2:15 later.  The Owls answered even faster, with Bazin potting goals two and three of the hat trick just 15 seconds apart.

KSC reclaimed the lead at 2-1 just 4:59 in when Bazin forced a Clark miscue, carried into the circle, and fired on Reiter.  The Clark keeper kept out the initial bid, but Bazin was right there to put home the rebound.  The Owls' one-goal advantage doubled in the blink of an eye by following a similar formula for the third time, as Daileanes forced a turnover thanks to pressure in the midfield area before finding Grace Seabury near the top of the circle.  She then found a rushing Bazin on the left for her third goal of the night already in likely one of the fastest hat tricks you will ever see.

After four goals combined in the opening 5:14, there was a 15-minute lull before the next one, though the teams then combined for three more in the ensuing eight minutes after that.  KSC made it 4-1 thanks to a corner play, as Molly Murray found Hannah Wood at the top of the circle.  The Owl defender passed off to Stefanakos on her left, and after she could not corral the ball initially, took a shot from only a foot or two inside the circle and it found its way through.  Clark answered in the 27th minute through Morgan Brown to make it a two-goal game, but the Owls tallied their fifth of the half 1:32 later off another corner, when Murray inserted to Alessandra Vidal, who passed to her right and Wood, who took a few steps in and rifled a shot trough traffic and past Loren Root, who entered in the Clark cage at the beginning of the second quarter.

The Cougars were awarded a corner in the final seconds of the half and again made it a two-goal game (5-3) at the break as Rachael Romain scored from the top of the circle, hanging around despite behind outshot 18-6 and having that be their only corner chance of the half.

Clark threatened to make it even closer for the entirety of the final 30 minutes, but first year goalkeeper Katelyn Nicotera made 10 stops in the second half to keep the visitors off the board, as KSC also killed off eight corner opportunities.

Leading 5-3, the Owls added an insurance goal with just under 10 minutes to go, again off a corner.  Murray again began the play, finding Stefanakos at the top.  Her and Wood played a back-and-forth passing game before Stefanakos fired into the middle.  Bazin was there right in front of Root, who was well out of the cage, gathered, and attempted on goal, where Murray was there to tip it home.

Bazin finished with three goals and an assist, marking her sixth multi-goal game of the season in eight tries.  She has scored in seven contests and has 16 goals, 33 points, 58 shots, and 44 shots on goal thus far on an impressive campaign.

KSC starting goaltender Clara Gorman made two saves in the first half and earned the win.  Reiter took the loss, stopping four.  Root made 10 saves over the final 45 minutes.

The Owls are right back at it tomorrow (Wednesday, September 25) when they finish a stretch of four straight at home against Smith College (1-5, 0-1 NEWMAC) at 6:30 p.m.