Little East Tournaments Coming to Keene State

KEENE, N.H. 5/3/10 - Keene State fans won’t have to go far to see the Owls in Little East tournament play this spring. KSC will be hosting men’s and women’s lacrosse semifinal games as well as the LEC softball tournament at Owl Athletic Complex this week. All the action begins on Thursday.

Softball
Because top-seed Eastern Connecticut is unable to host, Keene State will host the six-team LEC softball tournament.

Nineteenth-ranked Eastern Connecticut (28-4-1) and sixth-seeded Plymouth State University (13-20) will open the 13th annual tournament at 10 a.m. on May 6. Second-seeded Keene State College (23-12-1) will host fifth-seeded University of Southern Maine (11-27) approximately two hours later, while third-seeded Western Connecticut State University (20-16) and fourth-seeded Rhode Island College (24-11) will square off at 2 p.m. The first elimination game is tentatively scheduled for 4 p.m.

The three-day tournament will be completed on Saturday, May 8, with the championship awards ceremony. The champion will earn the automatic qualifier into the 2010 NCAA Division III Tournament.

If you are unable to make the trip to Keene, the Little East Conference will be video streaming the entire tournament on www.LittleEast.tv. The Keene State athletics department will also feature real-time statistics.

Women’s Lacrosse
Keene State College won the three-team tie breaker with Eastern Connecticut State University and Plymouth State University to earn the top-seed and home- field advantage throughout the 2010 Little East Women’s Lacrosse Championship. The Owls secured the no. 1 seed for the first time in program history. The Panthers were awarded the second seed and a first-round bye, while Eastern Connecticut secured the right to host a home game in the first round as the three seed.

Eastern Connecticut will host sixth-seeded University of Massachusetts- Dartmouth (4-9) at 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 4, while fifth-seeded University of Southern Maine (8-9) will travel to fourth-seeded Western Connecticut State University (10-5) the same evening.

The winner of the match-up between the Colonials and the Huskies will travel to top-seed Keene State on Thursday, May 6, for a 5 p.m. game. Plymouth State will draw the winner of the Warriors and Corsairs game the same afternoon. The two semifinal winners will advance to the championship round at the highest remaining seed two days later for the right to earn the automatic qualifier into the 2010 NCAA Division III Championships.

Under the direction of Head Coach Katie Arsenault, the Owls have surged into the six-team conference championship - winning 10 of their past 11 games. Keene State boasts the most explosive offense in the Little East, ranking first in points per game (23.44) and assists per game (8.44). Six student athletes have registered at least 24 points this season, including four with at least 45. Junior attacker Lauren Sawyer (Westbrook, Maine) sits atop the national rankings in assists with 56, while also leading her squad in points (76). Classmate attacker Jamie Albert (Southington, Conn.) paces Keene State in goals (50), including a season-best seven against Eastern Connecticut on April 3. The Owls and their high-powered offensive attack will look to raise the program’s second championship trophy for the second-straight season.

For complete coverage of the ninth annual Little East Women’s Lacrosse Championship, check the Little East Web site for box scores and recaps of each game.

Men’s Lacrosse
Keene State College earned the top seed in the Little East Men’s Lacrosse Championship Tournament for the third time in program history after sweeping the seven-game schedule. The Owls sit atop the Little East standings for the first time since 2007, when Keene State earned the automatic qualifier into the NCAA Division III Tournament.

The top-six teams in the final conference standings advance to the 2010 Little East Men’s Lacrosse Championship. The Owls and second-seeded Eastern Connecticut State University earned first-round byes. Western Connecticut State University and Plymouth State University each completed the conference circuit with a 4-3 mark, but the Colonials secured the no. 3 seed with an 8-4 victory over the Panthers. University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth claimed the fifth seed, while Salem State College was awarded the sixth and final seed.

The tournament will begin on Tuesday, May 4, with two first-round contests. The sixth-seeded Vikings will travel to the third-seeded Colonials, while the fifth-seeded Corsairs will square off at the fourth-seeded Panthers.

Keene State and Eastern Connecticut will await the outcome of the first-round contests to determine their opponent in the semifinal round. The Owls will face the winner of the Plymouth State/UMass-Dartmouth game at 2:30 on Thursday, May 6, while the Warriors draw the winner of the Western Connecticut/Salem State match. The two semifinal winners will advance to the championship game on Saturday, May 8, at the highest remaining seed.

For complete coverage of the 2010 Little East Men’s Lacrosse Championship, log-on to the official Little East Conference Web site for real-time video streaming and live statistics.