Southern Maine Athletics

GORHAM, Maine – Sophomore Lexi Morin (Brunswick, Maine) completed her second brace of the season, scoring the game-winning goal in the 70th minute, to power the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 3-1 win over the Keene State College Owls in a Little East Conference women's soccer game Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field. 
 
After trailing 1-0 on an Owls' goal 40 seconds into the second half, the Huskies scored three goals for the win.  Junior Ani Roberts (Bangor, Maine) added the Huskies' third goal converting a penalty in the 75th.
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The Records:
Keene State (3-4-2, 1-1-1 LEC)
Southern Maine (5-4-1, 1-1 LEC)
 
Today's game is the 32^nd meeting between the University of Southern Maine and the Keene State College Owls.  Keene State leads the overall series 22-7-2; however, the Huskies are 5-0-2 in the last seven contests, outscoring the Owls 25-8 in that timeframe.  The Huskies drew with the Owls 2-2 in the 2025 regular season and earned a 3-2 overtime win in the LEC semifinals – both games were played at Keene State.
 
How It Happened:

• Southern Maine and Keene State were level 0-0 at the half.  Southern Maine had three shots in the first 45, while the Owls had one.  The Owls had the first scoring chance of the game on a direct kick from Emily O'Connell but her bid sailed high of the net in the sixth.  USM looked to have an opening half goal in the 28th as an attempt from freshman Lizzy Neal (Parker, Colo./Lutheran) hit the back of the next but a Husky player was ruled offside to void the tally.
• The Owls seized the lead early in the second half as Kayla DiPasquale notched her first goal of the season just seconds after kickoff.  DiPasquale calmly finished a loose ball to the near post after a misplayed ball.
• The Huskies tied the game up in the 61^st minute.  Building the ball up from the back, Husky freshman Maya Ingles (Saint Paul, Minn./Saint Paul Central) flicked a ball on into the box allowing Morin to run onto it one-on-one and finish to the far post. 
• Morin put the Huskies ahead nine minutes later scoring her team-leading ninth goal of the season. Freshman Emily Phillip (Baie-d'Urfé, Quebec) picked off a Keene State pass attempted from the back, and sent in a well-timed lofted ball.  Morin was able to run onto the ball in the box and touch it past KSC goalkeeper Michaela DiCicco and finish for the 2-1 Southern Maine lead.
• Southern Maine sealed the win in the 75^th minute when Roberts was fouled in the box, and awarded a penalty.  Scoring her second goal of the season, Roberts beat DiCicco to the far post.

 
The Goalkeepers:
KSC: Michaela DiCicco (3-4-2), 90:00, 3 GA, 3 Saves
SM: McKenzie Vano (3-3), 90:00, 1 GA, 1 Save
 
Inside the Stats

• Southern Maine outshot the Owls 12-5, including 9-4 in the second half.  The Huskies had a slim 3-1 advantage in corner kicks.
• Morin has nine goals and three assists for 21 points this season. Three of Morin's nine goals have been game-winning goals.  Today's brace is her second of the 2026 season. She has 11 goals and nine assists for 31 points in 27 games.
• Earning the third win of her career, Vano has a 0.96 goals against average in six games played (468 minutes) with a 83.9 save percentage.

 
Up Next:
The Huskies host UMass Boston on Wednesday, October 7 (6:00 pm) in Little East Conference action.  Southern Maine is then on the road for its next two contests traveling to WestConn on Saturday, October 10 (12:00 pm) and then to RV Middlebury College on Tuesday, October 13 (4:30 pm). The Huskies are back home against VTSU-Castleton on Saturday, October 17 (11:00 am) in an LEC contest.  
 
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