Owl Women Looking to Net LEC Championship; Video Interview with Coach Lyons and Katie Bradford

KEENE, N.H., 8/30/10 – After capturing the Little East Conference regular season championship and winning the ECAC New England title with a thrilling overtime victory last year, the Keene State women’s soccer team is looking to kick it up another notch this season by claiming the LEC tournament title and a highly coveted NCAA berth.

“We came so close last year. Hopefully this is our season,” said Keene State coach Denise Lyons.

Lyons, who is entering her 19th season directing the Owls, has good reason to feel optimistic about her team’s title aspirations. Although she lost four key members of last year’s team, including LEC All-Stars Molly Brunelle, Jackie Grant, and Kendra Spencer as well as goalkeeper Samantha Hirsh, Lyons is confident she can fill those holes in her line-up and capture the LEC crown.

Keene State, which posted a 16-6-3 overall record and a 7-1-1 mark in the LEC, is split down the middle with a nice mix of 12 returnees and 12 newcomers on its roster. Eight of the returnees are starters, creating an opportunity for a few veterans or aspiring first-year players to earn a spot in the starting line-up. 

The Owls will be strong at both ends of the field. Junior Megan Dempsey (East Weymouth, Mass.), an All-Region and first-team All-LEC pick last fall, returns for her second season as KSC’s top goalie. At the other end, high-scoring forward Katie Bradford (Lebanon, N.H.), who earned All-Region and All-LEC first-team honors last year, plans to complete her Owl career with a super senior season on the front line.

With a few alterations, Keene State’s defense and midfield could be just as strong. Veterans Melissa Dempsey (East Weymouth, Mass.), twins Bridget and Shannon Hennessey (Essex Junction, Vt.), and Brittany Croteau (Swanzey, N.H.) provide the Owls with a solid backline. 

In the middle, senior Nora Mahoney (Belchertown, Mass.) and junior Leah Teter (Granville, Mass.) will be out on the wings while Joan Hamel will be at one of the inside positions.

Several newcomers are expected to step onto the field and make an immediate impact. Kelsey Bailey, a freshman from Barre, Vt., can play a variety of positions on the backline, including sweeper, while Westmoreland, N.H., native and former Keene High standout Kristen Huckins will see time at center-midfield or at stopper. Joining the Owls after playing last season at St. Anselm, sophomore Erin Griffin (Londonderry, N.H.) has recovered from a knee injury and is ready to be a force at midfield. Haley Kenyon, a dynamic freshman forward from Greenwich, R.I., joins Bradford upfront to give KSC a pair of imposing strikers. “A lot of teams are going to be gunning for me,” said Bradford, who netted a LEC high 18 goals last fall. “We have a lot of young strikers coming in, so hopefully we can share the goal-scoring responsibilities.”

Junior Sia Karamourtopoulos (Fremont, N.H.), who came off the bench to score seven goals last season, should also be a factor up front.

“I think we’re going to have a very strong starting eleven,” said Lyons. “We might not be as deep as last year, but we have several players who can come in and make a contribution. Some of the players will have dual roles.”

Keene State will once again play a demanding schedule that includes three Division III nationally ranked teams (Williams, 7th; Middlebury, 11th; and Amherst, 21st) in the NSCAA preseason poll. The Owls, who open their season at home against Johnson & Wales on Wednesday, Sept. 1 (6:30 p.m.), will then face-off against Cortland State at the RIT tournament on Sept. 4.

“Playing tough teams will help us get ready for our LEC games,” said Lyons. “We’re going to be tested early, but that will make us a better team.”

Click here for the video interview with Coach Lyons and Katie Bradford!