ECAC Women's Soccer Tournament: Owls to host UNE in semifinals

KEENE, N.H. 11/12/09 - It's not quite winter, but the Nor'easters are coming! The second-seeded Keene State College women's soccer team will host the third-seeded Nor'easters from the University of New England in an ECAC New England Tournament semifinal game at Owl Athletic Complex on Saturday at 1 p.m.

Top-seed and two-time defending champion Brandeis University (10-6-3), a 3-0 quarterfinal winner over eight-seed Castleton State, will entertain fourth-seed Mass. College of Liberal Arts (15-5) in the second semifinal match-up. MCLA moved on a with a 3-0 shutout victory over fifth-seed Emmanuel College.

The highest remaining seed will host the championship game on Sunday. A Keene State win and a Brandeis loss would bring the finals to Keene at 1 p.m.

The Owls (15-6-2) advanced to the semifinals with an opening-round 5-0 shutout victory over seventh-seed Lesley University on Wednesday night. Junior forward Katie Bradford (Lebanon, N.H.) netted three goals in the first half, her second career shutout, and sophomore goalie Megan Dempsey (East Weymouth, Mass.) made two saves for her seventh shutout of the season to lead KSC to the victory.

The Nor'easters advance to the semifinal round for the second consecutive year with a 3-1 victory over sixth-seed UMass-Boston. Freshman Karina Scavo (Mt. Sinai, N.Y.) scored what proved to be the game-wining goal in the 76th minute.

Saturday's semifinal will be a rematch of the 2008 second-round game that saw UNE edge the Owls 2-1 in overtime. Sarah Richardson (Rochester, N.H.) scored the go-ahead goal for the Nor'easters early in the extra session. UNE lost in the finals to Brandeis (3-1).

"There certainly is a revenge-like feeling to the game," said Bradford. "You always remember the last game that ended your season."

"We need to play better if we're going to beat UNE," said KSC Coach Denise Lyons, whose team was missing two starters when it took the field against Lesley. "We have a tough road ahead, but if we can get our two injured players back, we'll be OK."

Lyons was pleased with how her team bounced back from a tough 1-0 loss to Eastern Conn in the Little East Championship game. "It's hard to regroup after that game, but a lot of teams would like to be in this position," she said.

"It was a hard loss, but I think we've looked past that game," said sophomore back Bridget Hennessey (Essex Junction, Vt.). "This is another championship that we can win, and we're looking forward to doing that."

Keene State is making its 10th appearance in the ECAC tournament. The Owls won the ECAC Division III title in 2005, and won as a Division II member in 1986, 1987, and 1993.