KEENE, N.H. – First year midfielder
Emma Bazin notched her first collegiate goal in the ninth minute before her prolific-scoring sister Grace later added two more goals and an assist as the Keene State College field hockey team dominated the run of play on Saturday in an eventual 6-3 win over Worcester State University in non-conference action at the Owl Athletic Complex.
KSC has opened their season 3-0 for the second straight year after beginning a Division III era-best 9-0 in 2024, outscoring their three opponents on this homestand 15-6.
The Owls controlled the action throughout, outshooting Worcester State (0-3) by a wide 33-7 margin including 25-5 on goal. Lancers goalkeeper Lizzy MacDonald did all she could to keep her team in the game, making 19 saves including 11 in the first half to keep it a one-goal game, but KSC eventually broke through by scoring three of the final four goals over the final 19 minutes.
Emma Bazin's first career goal was answered less than three minutes later on Worcester's first shot of the game as Kaylie Ciccione corralled a pass that Owl keeper
Clara Gorman attempted to kick out and fired toward goal, where it went off the foot of
Belle Hemond and went in. KSC retook the lead less than three minutes into the second quarter when
Grace Bazin corralled her own rebound of a backhanded shot and beat MacDonald to the far post for a 2-1 lead. The Owls had ample chances over the final eight minutes of the first half, but MacDonald made saves on
Kaitlyn Castriotta in the 23rd minute,
Grace Bazin in the 26th minute, Castriotta again in the 27th minute,
Emma Bazin less than 60 seconds later, and
Kalina Piasecki with 1:56 left until the break. KSC was 0-for-6 on penalty corner chances in the quarter, all coming with a chance to add to their lead. The Owls had a 13-1 edge on corners in the first half and 18-5 overall in the game.
Leading 2-1 after a half in which they outshot Worcester State 19-2, KSC found their scoring touch in the second as
Meghan Daileanes notched the first of her junior campaign by corralling a ball in the middle of the circle, spinning to create space between MacDonald and a defender, and finding the back of the cage for a 3-1 edge. The Lancers got back within one again just 2:43 later when Kylie Casey scored on a penalty stroke, but
Grace Bazin potted a third-chance opportunity after MacDonald made two initial saves – including one on her – in the 42nd minute to give KSC a cushion again.
Grace Seabury made it 5-2 just 1:58 into the fourth after she fired twice from the top of the circle in succession, with the second attempt bounding its way in. Ciccione's second goal of the game with five and a half minutes to go made it a 5-3 game, but that proved to be the Lancers' final shot of the day and Piasecki tipped home a blast from Seabury on a corner play with less than two minutes to go to set the final margin.
Gorman made two saves in the win, and KSC beat the Lancers for the third straight time in the series. The Owls are 26-6 against Worcester all-time, including 17-2 at home.
Grace Bazin finished with a whopping 12 shots on the day, five more than the Lancers – who had been shutout in their first two games of the season – had as a team. Her seven goals on the season are second in Division III, behind only Julia Decker's (Salve Regina University) eight.
Keene State heads on the road for the first time this regular season on Tuesday (September 9), visiting New England College (2-1) for a 7:00 p.m. start. The Owls then head to Westfield State University (2-2) on Thursday.
