Strong Second Half Leads Worcester State over Field Hockey

Framingham, Mass. – The Worcester State University field hockey team erupted for four second half goals as they erased a 1-0 deficit and secured a 4-1 victory over the Framingham State University Rams in Little East Conference (LEC) action at Maple Street Field.   

Framingham State is now 2-4 on the season and falls to 0-2 in the conference, while the Lancers improve to 4-3 overall and even their LEC mark at 1-1.

The Rams grabbed the lead just over 10 minutes in the first half when senior Rhea Urbaniak (Chelmsford, Mass.) fired a shot into the circle that junior Cady Kelly (Canton, Mass.) deflected into the back of the cage for the 1-0 advantage.  The Rams maintained the lead for the rest of the frame despite being outshot 11-3 by the Lancers.

The Lancers knotted the game five minutes into the second when junior Julie O'Rourke (Worcester, Mass.) hit sophomore Meghan Pini (Natick, Mass.) in the circle and Pini connected for the equalizer. 

Junior Taylor Ledwith (Springfield, Mass.) and freshman Jolane Thibault (Douglas, Mass.) combined to score the Lancers next two tallies.  First in the 50^th minute Thibault found Ledwith in the circle who placed a shot past the Rams keeper for what would prove to be the game-winner.  Three minutes later, Thibault tipped in a shot from Ledwith just in front of the goal line for an insurance marker.  O'Rourke finished the scoring in the game when she found the back of the cage in the 70^th minute.

Worcester State finished the game holding a 19-4 advantage in shots and a slim 4-3 edge in penalty corners.  Freshman Kathryn Salemme (Boxboro, Mass.) recorded the victory in net making one save, while junior Rosemary Talbot (Whitinsville, Mass.) was saddled with the loss despite making eight stops.

The Rams are back in action next Thursday when they travel to Roger Williams for a non-conference tilt at 7 p.m., while Lancers are back on the field Tuesday evening when they host Becker at 7 p.m.