Skip Navigation

Keene State to Host Three Little East Tournament Games

KEENE, N.H. 10/30/06 - Keene State College will host three first-round Little East Conference games on Tuesday. All three contests begin at 6 p.m.

The top-seeded Owl field hockey team (16-4, 11-0 LEC) will face eighth-seed Salem State (7-9, 5-6 LEC), and the third-seeded KSC women’s soccer team (12-7, 5-2 LEC) goes up against sixth seed Plymouth State (7-7-2, 3-4 LEC) at Owl Athletic Complex. The fourth-seeded KSC women’s volleyball team (23-12, 4-3 LEC) battles fifth seed Western Conn. (9-14, 4-3 LEC) at Spaulding Gym.

The KSC field hockey team will be playing the same Salem State team which they handily defeated 5-1 in Sunday’s regular season finale. “It has its pros and cons,” said KSC coach Amy Watson. “We did pretty well against them on Sunday, but now they have a couple of days to make adjustments”

The defending champion Owls will be shooting for their fifth LEC tournament title. Watson said the Owls like the advantage of being the top seed. “Playing at home is a huge advantage emotionally,” she said. “Everyone would like to knock us out early, so we’re going to have to play well and go deep into our bench to be successful.”

No stranger to LEC tournament play, the Keene State women’s soccer team has captured a pair of championships (2003 and 2004) and reached the finals the last seven seasons. The Owls have had their share of overtime tussles with the Panthers of late. KSC edged PSU 1-0 in a double-overtime LEC quarterfinal game last year and needed overtime to subdue the Panthers 3-2 this year.

“It’s a tough draw for us,” said Lyons, whose team enters the tournament with a season high five game winning streak. “The rivalry brings out the best in both teams, so I’m expecting another close game.”

Having already set a program record for wins in a season, the Keene State women’s volleyball team has drawn Western Conn. as a first round opponent for the second straight year. Although the Owls defeated WCSU 3-1 earlier this season, they’re not looking past the Colonials. “They’re a scrappy ball- control team, and it should be an interesting match,” said KSC Coach Bob Weiner.

Last year, the Owls made a first-ever appearance in the Little East finals.

With a victory tonight against UMass-Boston, the Keene State men’s soccer team (12-4-1, 4-1-1 LEC) could join the crowd and secure the top seed and host a LEC semifinal tournament game on Wednesday.

Related Stories

Contact Keene State College

1-800-KSC-1909
229 Main Street
Keene, New Hampshire 03435