US College Saturday: Keeler’s Hat-Trick, Keene State’s Statement, and Widener’s Playoff Rematch
Saturday in American college hockey belonged to the teams with something to prove. A hat-trick, a broken unbeaten run, and a playoff rematch set up for Monday. Here’s what actually happened.
Newberry just keep rolling
No. 4 Newberry went to Coker and won 5-0, and the numbers tell you how one-sided it was. Senior Parker Keeler scored a hat-trick, Newberry outshot Coker 24-0, and earned 13 penalty corners to Coker’s one. That’s not a game, that’s a training session with a scoreline.
The win takes the Wolves to 14-1 overall and a perfect 11-0 in South Atlantic Conference play. They haven’t lost to a conference opponent all season, and on this form nobody in the SAC will fancy stopping them now. The only question left is how far that dominance carries into the postseason.
Keene State spoil the perfect record
Keene State beat Southern Maine 2-1, and that scoreline undersells it. Southern Maine came in unbeaten in Little East Conference play. They leave with their first conference loss of the season.
Lilah Carr and Emma Bazin scored in the first half for the Owls, and goalkeeper Tori Kelly made nine saves as Southern Maine pressed late. Keene State held the Huskies without a shot attempt for nearly the final eight minutes, which is how you close out a game like that. Keene State are now 12-7 overall, 5-2 in the conference, and the No. 3 seed for the tournament. They host No. 6 seed UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday at 6pm, a side they beat 7-0 back in September, chasing a third straight conference title. They’ve won five of their last six. That’s form, not a fluke.
Widener set up the rematch
Widener closed the regular season with a 2-1 win at Alvernia, and the timing matters as much as the result. Annabella Cenci scored her ninth goal of the season and Harlie Bakey added her fifth, and the Pride finish 8-8 overall and 5-3 in MAC Commonwealth play, tying the programme record for the most conference wins in a season. Their goalkeeper, Korenthal, was called on for a big fourth-period save to protect the lead.
Now they get Alvernia again, straight away. Widener, as the No. 4 seed, host No. 5 Alvernia in the MAC Commonwealth playoff play-in game on Monday, November 2, at 5pm at Dixon Field in Chester. The winner takes on No. 1 York. Beating the same side twice in three days is never easy, but Widener will take that problem over going home.
Franklin and Marshall finish strong
No. 12 Franklin and Marshall closed the regular season by beating No. 14 Swarthmore 3-1 in Lancaster, and they did it the hard way. Swarthmore scored first. The Diplomats answered with three unanswered goals, led by Hannah Fitzgerald’s two goals and one assist, a career-high five points on the day.
Franklin and Marshall finish 12-4 overall and 6-3 in Centennial Conference play, good for the fourth seed in the conference tournament and a fifth straight appearance in it. Swarthmore, 11-5 and 7-2 in the conference, will still fancy their chances next week. But Saturday belonged to the Diplomats, and a ranked win to close the regular season is exactly the note you want to carry into the playoffs.
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