KEENE, N.H. 9/4/10 – The Keene State College field hockey team defeated the Husson University Eagles 3-1 on Saturday afternoon at Owl Athletic Complex to improve to 2-0 on the young season. Junior defender Kerry Howe (Atlantic Highlands, N.J.) had a goal, an assist and added a defensive save in the first-half to lead KSC to victory.

"Kerry did a real nice job for us today," said KSC head coach Amy Watson. "She's got a great shot so we are glad she finally converted on a corner for us, but the defensive save in the first half was huge and she just continues to prove that she is a real solid defender."

Husson looked to hit the scoreboard first, as freshman forward Sabrina Vaillancourt (Newport, Maine) beat Owl goalie Meghan Ledoux (Standish, Maine), but Howe made the teams first defensive save of the year to keep the score tied 0-0.

The  Owls struck first, on junior Aislynn Sherry's (Rehobeth, Mass.) second goal of the season to put KSC up 1-0 at the 13:44 mark assisted by Howe.

Just a few minutes into the second half, junior Elizabeth Coffin (Sugar Hill, N.H.) notched her first goal of 2010 off a pass from classmate Jacki Benson (Hampstead, N.H.) to extend the Owls lead to 2-0.

Husson fought back, cutting the KSC lead in half on an unassisted tally from Jillian Morin (Manchester, Maine) at the 51:41 mark.

The Owls put the game away for good, on Howe's first goal of the season, off a penalty corner from Leigh Smith (Sanborton, N.H.) and Niki Smith (Southwick, Mass.) for the 3-1 final.

The Owls outshot the Eagles 24-11 in the game, including 14-7 in the second-half. "I thought the second half was much better than the first," said Watson. "This early in the season we are still trying to find out which combination of players is going to click."

Ledoux had another nice game in goal for KSC, stopping seven shots in her second victory in as many starts. Sophomore Kristen Capen (Leeds, Maine) made 11 stops and allowed three goals in the losing effort for the Eagles.

KSC returns to action Tuesday, with their first road game of the season at Springfield College at 7 p.m. "That's going to be a great match for us," said Watson. "We usually play really well against them so it should be a good one."