PLYMOUTH, N.H. – Sophomore goalkeeper
Natalie Merrick (East Longmeadow, Mass.) matched a season high with 15 saves, but third-seeded Keene State College held off second-seeded Plymouth State University, 3-1, in the Little East Conference (LEC) Field Hockey Tournament semifinals at Panther Field on Thursday evening.
The Owls capitalized on an early opportunity to take a 1-0 lead near the 10-minute mark of the first quarter, then doubled their advantage early in the second to carry a 2-0 lead into halftime.
Plymouth State opened the second half with renewed energy, and sophomore
Claire Toleman (Cambridge, N.Y.) pounced on a deflected shot during a penalty corner for her third goal of the season to cut the deficit to 2-1. Merrick made a series of saves later in the frame, but Keene State converted on a penalty corner, scoring on a drive from the top of the arc to restore its two-goal cushion with 6:13 remaining in the quarter.
Plymouth State applied early pressure in the fourth quarter, and the Panthers earned a flurry of penalty corners late in the period, but the Keene State goalkeeper turned aside their chances as the Owls held on to advance.
Keene State improves to 14-7 and travels to top-seeded Southern Maine for Saturday's (Nov. 7) championship game, while the Panthers finish the season at 7-12.
The Basics:
- Plymouth State 1, Keene State 3
- Plymouth State (7-12)
- Keene State (14-7)
How it Happened:
- Keene State got on the board first near the 10-minute mark of the first quarter for an early 1-0 lead.
- Merrick and the PSU defense kept the Owls at bay throughout the remainder of the first.
- Keene State doubled its lead five minutes into the second quarter to make it 2-0.
- PSU put early pressure on the Owls and earned a penalty corner. Toleman collected a loose ball that had deflected off the post and put it into the back of the cage to pull within 2-1.
- Merrick came up with a left-pad save to keep the deficit at one.
- The Owls added another goal late in the third to carry a 3-1 lead into the final frame.
- Plymouth State had early pressure, but the KSC goalkeeper made a pair of key stops to maintain the two-goal cushion, and the Panthers were unable to rally.
By the Numbers:
- Merrick's 15 saves matched her season best. She also made 15 stops in a double-overtime loss to VTSU Castleton on Oct. 20. She finishes the season with a 1.66 goals-against average and .823 save percentage, comfortably leading the conference in both categories.
- Toleman scored her third goal of the season.
- Junior Lexi Berrettini (Lake Bluff, Ill.) finished the season with a team-high 30 points on 10 goals and 10 assists. She is the first Panther to record double-digit goals and assists in a season since Kristina Conry posted 10 goals and 12 assists in 2010.
- Graduate student Ellie Monahan (Watertown, Mass.) finished the season as the team's leading goal-scorer with 11.
- Plymouth State last hosted an LEC semifinal game during the 2011 season.
- PSU's last postseason win over the Owls came in the 2000 2000 LEC Tournament championship game.
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