Box Score (with contributions from Keene State Sports Information)
Keene State Holds Off Southern Maine 13-8
KEENE, N.H. -- In a game of two halves, the Keene State College Owls opened a 12-2 lead by halftime, then held off a second-half comeback bid by the University of Southern Maine Huskies for a 13-8 victory in Little East Conference action Saturday at Owl Athletic Complex.
The win was the third straight for the Owls improving their record to 7-6 overall. The Owls remain unbeaten in Little East play at 3-0. The loss snapped the Huskies two-game winning streak. The Huskies fell to 3-7 overall and are winless in three LEC games.
After surrendering a first-minute goal to USM senior Sarah Pelligrinelli (Southington, Conn.), the Owls scored the next nine goals in a span of 11:51 to take command. Junior Jenna Bellano (Brookfield, Conn.) scored three times and dished out an assist in the string of KSC goals. Junior Taylor Graf (Hanover, Mass.) passed out five assists in the run.
USM freshman Hannah LaSalle (Humarock, Mass./Marshfield) snapped the run of Keene State goal with a free-position goal at the 15:05 mark, but the Owls added three more goals before halftime to take a comfortable 12-2 lead into the break.
The second half belonged to the Huskies as they outscored the Owls 6-1. Junior Heather Everett (Waterboro, Maine/Massabesic), senior Shauna Robert (Lyman, Maine/Waterboro) and junior Sam Campobasso (Buxton, Maine/Bonny Eagle) scored goals in the first 10 minutes to make it 12-5.
After a scoreless stretch of 10 minutes, Pelligrinelli notched her second goal to get the Huskies within six. Three minutes after the Pelligrinelli goal, sophomore Taylor Farland (Fiskdale, Mass./Tantasqua) scored the Owls lone goal of the second half with 6:50 to play.
Junior Lauren Lessard (Lewiston, Maine/Kents Hill) and Pelligrinelli added goals for the Huskies in the final minute to close the gap.
Graf finished the game with seven assists, all in the first half, to lead the Owls offense. Bellano had six points on three goals and three assists, and Farland finished with a hat trick. Junior Alison Argiro (Hingham, Mass.) and rookie Anna O'Brien (Winchester, Mass.) split the goaltending duties for the Owls. Argiro made six saves in the first half while O'Brien stopped four shots in the second half.
Pelligrinelli led the Huskies with three goals. Campobasso contributed a goal and one assist. Senior goalie Caley Presby (Portland, Maine/Deering) recorded 10 saves.
Southern Maine is back in action on Tuesday (6:00 p.m.) traveling to M.I.T. Keene State's next game is Tuesday (4:00 p.m.) at Plymouth State University.
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