Keene State College holds steady at No. 18

NORTH DARTMOUTH, Mass.—The Keene State College men’s lacrosse team held steady at No. 18 in the latest edition of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) Division III national poll. The Owls have won their first five games of the season, raising their regular season unbeaten streak to 20 straight games dating back to the start of the 2007 campaign.

Keene State College won each of its two contests this past week, defeating Wheaton College (Mass.) (19-10) and Little East Conference foe UMass Boston (17-3). Senior midfielder Ryan Hazelton (Chester, N.H.) paced the Owls with nine points, including eight goals, while sophomore attacker Josh Nugent (Cheshire, Conn.) netted eight markers. Hazelton found the back of the net for a season-high five scores against the Lyons, while Nugent matched his season-best with four goals against the Beacons.

Senior goalie Matt Johnson (Derry, N.H.) has allowed eight or fewer goals in four of his five starts on the campaign. The 2007 All-American limited UMass Boston to just two goals, while making nine saves on April 5. On the season, Johnson boasts a 6.27 goals against average and a .663 save percentage.

Keene State College returns to action at 4 p.m. on April 10, when the Owls host Little East Conference rival Plymouth State University (5-3, 0-2).