BRISTOL, R.I. – Grace Bazin scored her NCAA-leading 33rd goal of the season as she continues to hunt down the Keene State College field hockey single-season goals record, but Roger Williams University answered less than three minutes later and then scored twice in eight second quarter minutes, eventually posting a 3-1 win over the Owls in the first ever meeting between the two programs Thursday afternoon at Bayside Field.

KSC (11-6) dropped consecutive games for the first time this season, entering off a surprising 4-2 home loss to Eastern Connecticut State University this past Saturday.  Although today was a non-conference game, the playoffs are quickly approaching for the Owls, who have just two regular season games remaining – their home finale on Tuesday when they welcome Vermont State University Castleton and next Saturday (November 1) when they visit the University of Southern Maine.  KSC has is 5-6 since a 6-0 start, dropping four games against teams ahead of them in the most recent NCAA Power Index (NPI rankings).

Today, the Owls' goal scoring terror got her team off on the right foot against a strong Hawks team – one that won the Conference of New England tournament championship and played three NPI top 10 teams to one-goal games on the road (Babson No. 3, Wesleyan No. 9, Endicott No. 10) – by scoring just 6:27 into the game.  KSC broke through a midfield battle and created a transition chance, with Bazin moving up the middle and then to her right in an impressive individual effort to beat aggressive Hawks keeper Hannah Brazil, who came out to try to deny as Bazin had two defenders chasing.

Roger Williams (12-5) took over for the rest of the half from there, holding the Owls shotless for the final 24 minutes of the half and without a penalty corner.  Hannah Timbrouck answered Bazin's goal just 2:54 later to tie the game at one after pouncing on a loose ball in the middle of the circle, and Lily Tobin put the Hawks ahead for the first time (2-1) just 1:47 into the second after whacking home a pass from Grace Rocheleau, who was moving up the left side by the end line toward goal.  Chelsea King made it 3-1 in the 25th minute with her 22nd goal of the season after a centering feed by Tobin could not be cleared by a pair of Owl defenders, leaving King with a clear shot at goal.

Molly Diamondstein was impressive in her first career start, making 11 saves and keeping the Owls with a chance.

KSC pushed after halftime, flipping the tables to outshoot Roger Williams 12-6 in the final 30 minutes after being outshot 11-1 in the first 30, but they could not get one past Brazil.  The Owls had four penalty corner chances including the only three in the fourth quarter.  Emma Bazin had an immediate chance off one in the 55th minute, but Brazil denied it.  The Hawks' keeper also stopped Grace Bazin twice and Kalina Piasecki once in the third to keep it a two-goal lead and prevent KSC from gaining significant momentum early in the half.

"Roger Williams is a strong team," said Owls head coach Amy Watson.  "We did not defend them well in the first half.  We made some adjustments in the second half but couldn't overcome the 3-1 deficit."

Bazin's 33 goals now stand alone as the second-most in a season in program history.  She is only four away from becoming the new record-holder, surpassing Sami Smith's 36 in 2016.  Bazin's 78 career goals - in three years with the program - are now just three away from becoming the second most in program history.  Smith is the all-time leading scorer with 90 goals from 2013 through 2016.

Brazil made six saves for RWU, who outshot KSC 17-13.  Keene State had a slim 4-3 edge in corners in a game that only featured seven opportunities total.

The Owls' Tuesday home game against VTSU Castleton (6-8, 2-2 LEC) will be a rematch of last year's conference tournament championship game, won by the Owls 3-2 at Dave Wolk Stadium to avenge a road loss in the regular season.  The Spartans edged Plymouth State University at home Tuesday 2-1 to end a three-game losing streak that saw them score just two goals.  Castleton visits last-place University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth (2-14, 0-4 LEC) on Saturday (October 25) before coming to Keene Tuesday.  KSC is currently in second place, one game behind Eastern Connecticut without the tiebreaker.  The Owls' final two games this season are against the two teams right behind them in the standings.