KSC Earns ECAC Berth in Women's Soccer and Volleyball

KEENE, N.H.  11/8/10 – Keene State women’s soccer and volleyball teams have earned berths to their respective ECAC Division III New England tournaments.

Selected as the top seed in the eight-team women’s soccer tournament, the defending champion Owls (14-6-2) will face Western New England College (13-8), the eighth seed, in a quarterfinal game on Wednesday (6 p.m.).   The top remaining seed will host the semifinal and final rounds on Saturday and Sunday. If KSC advances, the semifinals on Saturday will be played at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. and the championship game on Sunday (1 p.m.)

The second seed in the eight-team women's volleyball tournament, the Owls (24-12) will go up against seventh-seed Worcester State University (15-17) in an opening-round game at Spaulding Gym on Wednesday at 7 p.m.  The semifinal and finals will be played at the highest remaining seed on Saturday and Sunday. Endicott College (22-15) is the top seed in the tournament.  KSC defeated the Lancers 3-1 earlier this season.

The Keene State women's soccer team is no stranger to ECAC tournament play. The Owls, who lost to Western Conn. (1-0) in the semifinals of the LEC tournament, will be making their 11th trip to the ECAC championships. KSC won the title last year by defeating top seed Brandeis 4-2 in penalty kicks. The Owls also won the ECAC Division III championship in 2005 and as a Division II member in 1986, 1987, and 1993.

WNEC lost to Endicott (4-1) in the Commonwealth Coast Conference semifinals.

Disappointed at not making the NCAA tournament, KSC Coach Denise Lyons says her team is looking forward to defending their crown. “It will be great for my seniors to go out on a winning note,” she said. “It would be nice to win back-to-back championships and do it at home.”

The Keene State women’s volleyball team, which lost to UMass-Boston (3-1) in the Little East Championship game on Saturday, will be making its third appearance in the ECAC Tournament. The Owls lost semifinal matches to Brandeis in 2006 and 2007. 

Worcester State suffered a 3-0 setback to Bridgewater State in the MASCAC semifinals.

KSC Coach Bob Weiner said earning a post-season tournament berth was one of his teams’ goals.  “From the first day we set out to make that happen and when we couldn’t make it to the NCAAs, the players are excited to be playing in the ECAC tournament,” he said.  “We want to win the whole thing.”