TROY, N.Y. – The Keene State College women's lacrosse team opened their 2026 season with a tough road test against Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute on Saturday afternoon and after the Engineers opened the contest up with four goals over the opening seven minutes, the Owls were unable to comeback and fell 18-4.

Records

• Keene State: 0-1
• RPI: 2-0

How it Happened


Abigail Couzens opened the contest up for RPI with three goals over a 3:37 span early in the first quarter, with her second and third goals coming on free position attempts. Following a KSC timeout, Camille Stackhouse netted the fourth goal for the Engineers 45 seconds later, but the Owls responded back just over a minute later with a goal as the Diwinsky sisters connected on the first goal of the season for KSC with Brooke Diwinsky assisting on the first goal of her sister Carly Diwinsky's collegiate career. A minute and a half later the Owls looked to pull within a pair as Riley Devine had the first free position attempt of the season for KSC, but RPI's goalie, Lillian Brady made the first save of the day by either team. The rest of the opening quarter RPI tacked on another pair of goals, and Anna Maccarini had a shot for the Owls ring off the post with a minute left as the Engineers took their 6-1 lead into the second quarter.
 
RPI started to pull away in the second quarter as the Engineers scored five goals, while holding KSC scoreless in the 15 minutes across the quarter. Katelyn Nicotera entered as the Owls goalie at the start of the second quarter and saved the first shot she saw on Audrey Silverman, 45 seconds into the quarter with the Owls down a defender from a card at the end of the first. Kacey Pritts tallied the first goal for RPI in the second, 2:28 into the quarter, before six and a half minutes went by without another goal for either team as Nicotera made another save in goal for the Owls over the scoreless span. With 5:53 remaining, the Engineers scored three goals over 1:36 from a pair of free position shots, while Couzens scored two of the three for RPI. Couzens netted another goal with 2:24 remaining on a man-up goal to take an 11-1 lead into the half.
 
Both teams combined for four goals over the opening 4:59 of the third quarter as the Owls struck first with a man-up goal as Helen Baxter netted the first goal of her collegiate career, coming from Hayden Smith. RPI responded right back with winning the next two draw controls and scoring two goals over the ensuing 2:20, but Lola Varricchione won the ensuing draw control and with the assist from Tess Brown, she scored her first goal of her sophomore season for the Owls. With 6:06 remaining in the third, Devine had another chance at a free position goal, but her second opportunity of the game hit the post and the Engineers took the ball the other way and scored 37 seconds later. 2:20 after the previous goal, the Owls netted up their second man-up goal of the day as Smith picked up her second assist, on Varricchione's second goal bringing the score to 14-4 heading into the final 15 minutes of action.
 
Just as the Engineers did in the second quarter, they took complete control in the fourth, outscoring KSC 4-0 in the final 15 minutes. Ava Gilardone scored a pair of goals in the opening 2:16 of the fourth before Nicotera saved the next two shots for the Owls over the following six minutes. Nicotera also made more two more saves the rest of the way, but the Engineers tacked on two more goals to bring the final score to 18-4 for RPI.
 
Inside the Crease

• With the defeat, KSC falls to 0-2 in the all-time series against RPI, being outscored 30-6.
• Nicotera made six saves in her 45 minutes in goal for the Owls in the contest.
• Brown led the Owls with five ground balls, while Payton Guntulis led KSC with three caused turnovers, while Brown had a pair.
• Both teams only had one failed clear, with KSC going 8-for-9 and RPI going 14-for-15.

 
Up Next


Keene State returns home for their 2026 home opener as the Owls host Emmanuel College on Wednesday, March 4, at 4:00 PM for their next contest.
RPI returns home for their third of three opening games in Troy for their next contest as the Engineers will host SUNY New Paltz on Wednesday, March 4, at 4:00 PM