Box Score Keene State Edges Southern Maine in LEC Opener 12-11
GORHAM, Maine -- Senior Polly Grey (Saratoga Springs, N.Y.) scored with 2:35 remaining in regulation to snap an 11-11 tie and the visiting Keene State College Owls hung on for a 12-11 Little East Conference victory over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in women's lacrosse action Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field.
The win was the first of the season for the Owls after eight consecutive losses. The Huskies, who snapped a five-game skid on Thursday with their first win, fell for the sixth time. The game was the conference opener for both teams.
As time was winding down, freshman Liz Robinson (Cape Elizabeth, Maine) drove from the end line towards goal before passing to Grey who caught and shot all in one motion to put the Owls ahead.
In the frantic final seconds, Southern Maine had a free-position attempt with 2.2 seconds remaining, but Keene State sophomore goalie Alison Argiro (Hingham, Mass.) denied the bid by sophomore Lauren Lessard (Lewiston, Maine/Kents Hill) for a tying goal.
A nip-and-tuck affair from the start, neither team led by more than two goals the entire game. Southern Maine took a 7-5 lead three minutes into the second half on a goal from junior Sarah Pelligrinelli (Southington, Conn.).
Keene State responded with three unanswered goals in a span of 2:41 to wipe out the deficit and take its first lead, 8-7, since the opening minute. Sophomore Jenna Bellano (Brookfield, Conn.), Robinson and Bellano again gave the Owls an 8-7 edge with 23:53 to play.
The sides traded goals over the next five minutes with USM tying the game before Keene State went back up by one. Sophomore Heather Everett (Waterboro, Maine/Massabesic) tied the game at 9-9 with a free-position goal at 18:57.
Sophomore Taylor Graf (Hanover, N.H.) regained the advantage for the Owls at 15:23, and junior Kaitlin Nolan (Mahopac, N.Y.) gave the Owls a two-goal cushion 28 seconds later.
USM battled back on goals by junior Anh Nguyen (South Portland, Maine) and sophomore Sam Campobasso (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) to tie the game at 11-11 setting the stage for Grey.
Robinson paced the Owls offense with five points on three goals and two assists. Bellano had three goals, and Graf finished with two goals and one assist. Nolan chipped in a pair of markers. Nolan and Bellano had six draw controls apiece as the Owls dominated the center circle for a 17-8 edge in draw controls. Argiro finished with 16 saves, including 11 in the second half.
Everett scored a game-high four goals and dished off one assist for a five-point game. She also had seven ground balls. Nguyen had three goals and an assist. Pelligrinelli and Campobasso each had two goals. Junior goalie Caley Presby (Portland, Maine/Deering) stopped 13 shots.
Southern Maine is back in action tomorrow (12:00 p.m.) hosting Castleton State College for a non-conference game. Keene State hosts Bridgewater State University for a non-conference game on Tuesday (4:00 p.m.).
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