KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) – The Keene State College men’s soccer team hosted Eastern Connecticut State University on Saturday afternoon at Dr. Ron Butcher Field, as the Owls looked to end their five-game losing skid. After 81 minutes of scoreless play, Alex Nicolas found the back of the net for the Owls, giving KSC their first LEC win of the year, 1-0, over ECSU. 

Records

  • Keene State: 2-5-1 (1-1-0 LEC) 
  • Eastern Connecticut State: 1-4-3 (0-1-1 LEC) 

How it Happened

 Neither team scored in the opening 45 minutes of play, but ECSU nearly got on the board in the seventh minute, but Owls’ goalkeeper, Regan Racicot, saved a shot from Niall O’Brien, to keep the contest scoreless early on. After a pair of shots from the Warriors went wide over the next few minutes, Esteban Henao tried to get the Owls on the board, but ECSU’s goalkeeper, Nathan Yeich, made a save to deny him in the 26th minute. The Owls’ defense continued to do their part the rest of the half by denying the Warriors on three consecutive corner kick attempts, as they blocked one shot, and Racicot saved the other attempt, as the game went into the second half scoreless. 

The Warriors opened the second half on the attack by outshooting the Owls, 6-0, over the first 10 minutes of the half. Racicot made another save in net while a pair of the shots were blocked by Owl defenders and the remaining three shots went wide of the net. KSC tried to respond with a pair of shots of their own on goal, but ECSU denied them, just as they were previously, as a defender blocked the first shot and shortly after, and Yeich saved the other. Both teams continued to trade possessions and shots through the remainder of the half, with Racicot making one save and Yeich making a pair of saves. The last shot on goal that Yeich faced was with 8:20 remaining in the contest, as Jack Corby send a pass into the Warriors’ box to Giacomo Sinopoli. Sinopoli made a move on a defender and passed a few feet away to an open Nicolas, who fired a shot past three ECSU defenders and Yeich, to give KSC a 1-0 lead with little time left to play. In the remaining eight minutes and change, the ECSU was denied of getting an opportunity on goal, as the Owl defense blocked a pair of the Warriors’ shots, to seal the victory for the Owls. 

Inside the Box

  • With the win, KSC improves to 20-9-6 in the all-time series between the two schools, now having won back-to-back games against the Warriors. 
  • ECSU outshot KSC 20-11, although KSC had a 5-4 shot on goal advantage. ECSU also recorded seven corner kicks, while KSC had only a pair. 
  • Cristian Correa and Nicolas each recorded a pair of shots on goal for KSC, while the other came from Henao. 
  • Racicot made four saves in the shutout win, while Yeich made four saves and allowed the lone goal in the contest. 
  • With the win, KSC avoided suffering their sixth consecutive loss in a row, which would have been the first time in program history at the Division III level (1997) that it would have happened. 


Up Next

Keene State has their first LEC away contest of 2024 for their next matchup, as they will travel to Vermont State Castleton this Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m.

Eastern Connecticut State has their first home LEC matchup of the year for their next contest, as they will host Rhode Island College, also this Wednesday, Oct. 2, at 7 p.m.