Owls Hold Off Vikings 4-2

SALEM, Mass. – Grace Taylor (Goffstown, N.H) scored a pair of goals as Keene State held off Salem State 4-2 on Wednesday evening at Alumni Field. The Owls improve to 5-8 and 5-1 in the Little East while the Vikings go to 5-5 and 3-3 in conference.

A turnover led to Keene State's first goal as Taylor punched in a loose ball for a 1-0 Owls' lead at the 9^th minute mark. The Vikings caught keeper Molly Edmark (Plymouth, N.H.) out of position with seconds remaining in the first quarter, allowing Allison Couillard (Tewksbury, Mass.) the equalizer with five second left in the first period. 

Irini Stefanakos (Fitchburg, Mass.) put Keene State back on top early in the second quarter when her second chance shot beat Kelli McCarthy (Foxborough, Mass.), who made the original save, off a corner.

Keene State held a decided advantage in shots (15-3) in the first half.    

Taylor scored her second goal of the night off a rebound early in the third before Maggie Cahoon (Keene, N.H.) made it 4-1 in favor of Keene State in the 42nd minute when she put home a deflection off a corner. 

Despite being outshot 21-3 over the first three quarters, Salem State pressured Keene State's defense over the final 15 minutes, culminating in a penalty shot conversion by Melanie Mason (Beverly, Mass.) with just over four minutes remaining. The Vikings took five corners in the period, but Edmark made several outstanding saves to thwart the Salem State comeback attempt.

Salem State held Keene State without a shot in the final frame, holding a distinct 8-0 advantage in shot attempts in the fourth quarter.

Both goalies played well with Edmark earning the win by making seven saves. McCarthy, who finished with 15 saves, kept Salem State in the game, stopping a flurry of chances by the Owls in the second period.