KEENE, N.H. – Senior
Hannah Sousa (Fall River, Mass.) scored in the 76th minute and senior
Jaimee O'Brien (West Springfield, Mass.) registered a career-high 15 saves, but the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth wasn't able to overcome a 2-0 deficit this evening as Keene State College earned a 2-1 Little East Conference women's soccer victory at Dr. Ron Butcher Field.
The Owls improved their overall record to 3-0, while the Corsairs slipped to 1-3 on the campaign.
O'Brien turned in a stellar performance in the UMass Dartmouth net to try to off-set Keene State's 29-6 advantage in shots. The West Springfield, Mass. product reached double digits in saves for the 11th time in her career. She established a new career standard by putting an additional two stops between her previous mark of 13 against UMass Boston on Oct. 2, 2019.
The Owls controlled the pace of the conference contest off the opening whistle. Keene State took an early 1-0 advantage on first-year Maya Baker's (Manchester By The Sea, Mass.) team-leading fourth goal of the season. The pitch was tilted in the hosts' favor for the majority of the opening 45 minutes of play as KSC held a 17-1 advantage in shots, but O'Brien kept UMass Dartmouth within striking distance with eight saves.
Senior Maggie Vogt (Bow, N.H.) converted a penalty kick in the 57th minute to produce the eventual game-winning goal. Keene State earned the trip to the dot after a Corsair defender was whistled for a hand ball inside the 18-yard box. Vogt deposited the decisive score—her first of the season—into the lower left corner of the net.
UMass Dartmouth cracked the scoring column at the 75:42 mark of the second stanza, when Sousa scored her first collegiate goal. Classmate
Haley Dupre (Lakeville, Mass.) created the scoring opportunity off a set piece and Sousa deflected the marker past the Owl goalkeeper. Keene State's defensive attack didn't allow the Corsairs to register a shot over the final 14 minutes of regulation.
Senior Abbie Terrinca (Ludlow, Mass.) played all 90 minutes in the Owls' net and tallied four stops to earn the win.
UMass Dartmouth will close out the 2021 spring campaign at 6pm on Thursday, April 29, when the Corsairs host Plymouth State University (2-1) in a Little East Conference match.
