Flood Forces Keene State to Move Athletic Games
KEENE, N.H. 10/10/05 - Rain and flood conditions in the Monadnock Region has forced Keene State College to alter its athletic schedules and change home facilities for some upcoming games.
Keene State’s home women’s soccer game against Williams College scheduled for Tuesday, Oct. 11, (3 p.m.), will be moved from the Owl Athletic Complex to the on-campus Sumner Joyce Field. The Owl field hockey game vs. New England College, scheduled for Tuesday, has been moved to Monday, Oct. 17 (time TBA).
Keene State has also rescheduled last Saturday’s soccer games against Eastern Conn. State University. Both games will now be played on Thursday, Oct. 20. The KSC women will host ECSU at 4:30 p.m. at the stadium complex while the Owl men will travel to Willimantic for a 3:30 game.
Bud Windsor, Assistant Director of the Physical Plant/Grounds reports that all the fields at the Owl Athletic Complex, except for the artificial turf field, are under water. The road leading to the complex is impassable and the electric power has been shut off. “The water has dropped substantially in the last 24 hours,” he said. “It’s a day-to-day situation. I’m hoping by Wednesday we’ll be in much better shape.”
Windsor said that some fields might be affected by the high water level and the extent of damage to the infrastructure, including bathrooms and locker rooms, is unknown at this time.
“It hurts to lose the home field advantage against Williams, but it could’ve been a lot worse,” said KSC women’s soccer coach Denise Lyons. “Five out of our last seven games are at home, so hopefully we’ll get back on our regular game field this weekend.”
Scheduled to be on the road game until next Tuesday, KSC men’s soccer coach Ron Butcher is scurrying around looking for a practice field. “We don’t have a full field to practice on but I’ll take what I can get just to get a good run in a touch on the ball,” he said. “This is a strange situation and we’re going to have to make the best of it.”
