CASTLETON, Vt. - Second-seeded Keene State College score three times in the first quarter before holding off a late charge by top-seeded Vermont State University Castleton to win the 2024 Little East Conference (LEC) Field Hockey Championship Tournament title by a final score of 3-2 Saturday night at Dave Wolk Stadium. Senior captain Hannah Wood was named the 2024 LEC Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Player
 
With the win, the Keene State (16-6) also secured the LEC’s automatic berth in the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament. The Owls will learn their next opponent with the national tournament field is accounted Sunday night on NCAA.com.
 
This marks Keene State’s LEC-record 15th conference title win, and is its first since 2018. The Owls are now 15-5 all-time in the LEC tournament final since the first championship was held in 1998.
 
The host Spartans (16-5) jumped out to an early 1-0 lead on Haley Lassen’s second goal of the year 2:49 into the match, but that lead did not last long Meghan Daileanes answered two minutes later for Keene State with her 14th tally of the year.
 
The Owls took the lead for good on Grace Bazin’s conference-leading 26th goal of 2024 at the 9:49 mark of the first quarter, with an assist credited to Anna Maccarini. Molly Murry followed with the goal that proved to be the difference, her 11th of the season, at 12:03 of the opening period from Megan Goodwin
 
Castleton had opportunities to close the gap in the second and third quarters, but were held off the scoreboard until 2:54 into the fourth when Ava Laross scored off a penalty corner to pull the Spartans back within one, 3-2. Gwyn Vincent and Jess Smithson were credited with assists on the play.
 
Castleton kept the pressure on through the conclusion of the match, out shooting the Owls 7-1 ibn the final frame, but were unable to score the equalizer. Clara Gorman made three of her five saves in the final period to keep Keene State in the lead through 60 minutes of play. Two of those stops came in the closing minutes, as she turned away attempts from Peyton Richardson and Vincent off a penalty corner with a minute and a half left.
 
Zoe Martin finished the contest with 11 saves for Castleton, six of which came in the first quarter where each of the Owls nine shots were on goal.
 
Shot totals were near-even at the end of the match, with Keene State holding a 16-15 edge. Shots on goal also favored the Owls, 14-7. The Spartans held an 18-9 margin in penalty corners, 10 of which were awarded in the final frame.