OWL SOCCER TEAMS SET TO BATTLE REGIONALLY-RANKED WARRIORS

KEENE, N.H. 9/24/09 - The early season has brought it share of challenges for Keene State College men's and women's soccer teams.  That trend will continue this weekend when the Owls face regionally ranked Eastern Connecticut State University in a pair of key Little East Conference games.

On Saturday, the Keene State women (6-2, 1-0 LEC) will host eighth-ranked Eastern Conn. (4-2-1, 1-0 LEC) at Owl Athletic Complex (1 p.m.) while the Keene State men (4-3, 1-0 LEC) travel to Mansfield, Conn. where they will face a Warrior team (5-1-1, 1-0 LEC) that's ranked second in the region and 13th in the national poll (3 p.m.).

The women's contest gained significance after Eastern Conn. knocked off in-state rival and sixth ranked Western Conn. 2-1 last week.  It was the first win by ECSU over the three-time LEC Champs since 2004 and their first-ever victory in Danbury.

Keene State hasn't fared well against Eastern Conn. of late.  Although the Owls hold a slim 10-9 lead in the overall LEC series, the Warriors have won seven of the last eight meetings, including the 2005 conference championship game.

"This is a huge game for us," said KSC Coach Denise Lyons.  "We have a chance to turn things around against Eastern Conn. and put us in position to be in the thick of the battle for the conference championship."

The Keene State men will face an Eastern Conn. team that has already posted major wins over regional powers MIT and Tufts, before dropping its first game of the season to No.5 Trinity (1-0) on Wednesday. 

KSC Coach Ron Butcher knows his team must be on top of their game against the Warriors on Saturday.   "We're playing on their new turf field, so that makes it more difficult," he said.  "We just have to go down and play a solid game.  I told the guys, we got through the first six games and the next six games are ones we have to come of age." 

Keene State has history on its side.  The Owls, who hold a 12-0-4 series advantage, have never lost to Eastern in the 16 LEC games the two teams have played since 1997.   The Owls and Warriors played to a 0-0 stalemate in the 2007 LEC finals with ECSU gaining the title in penalty kicks.