Worcester, MA --- Freshman Katelyn Carmody (Shelburne Falls, MA) collected seven points with a trio of goals and an assist to help Worcester State defeat Fitchburg State, 7-2, in Little East Conference field hockey action this morning at Coughlin Field.
With the victory the Lancers run their record to 10-7 overall and 3-7 in conference action while the Falcons fall to 5-10 overall and 1-9 in league play.
The Blue and Gold grabbed the 1-0 edge midway through the first half when freshman Meghan Pini (Natick, MA) found the back of the net off a stellar pass from sophomore Julie O'Rourke (Worcester, MA) at the 18:53 mark.
With her assist today O'Rourke has taken over sole possession of first place in the LEC with 12. She has also registered at least one point in 13 of her 15 games played this season with helpers in nine of those contests.
WSU then rattled off three consecutive goals over a five-minute span to balloon their lead to 4-0 at the intermission
Junior Kelli McPherson (Mansfield, MA) registered an unassisted marker off a penalty corner at the 22:37 mark. Carmody then potted her first of the game with help from sophomore Krissy Kenney (Rehoboth, MA) three minutes later before she found second-year Megan Ripke (Southwick, MA) in front of the net who finished the outburst at 27:30 mark.
Fitchburg State got on the board early in the second stanza when freshman Madeline Hoffman (Mansfield, MA) corralled her own rebound and deposited the ball into the back of the cage at the 42:19 mark to break the shutout.
Carmody tallied her second goal of the contest off a penalty stroke at the 48-minute mark and sophomore Victoria Watkins (Douglas, MA) tipped home a blast from McPherson just three minutes later for the 6-1 advantage.
The Falcons continued to fight as freshman Stephanie Stearns (Mystic, CT) raced for a loose ball on the left side and beat the keeper short side to slice into the deficit at the 58:50 mark.
Carmody sealed the game and registered her first career hat-trick when she sent home her own rebound at 63:55 for the final score.
WSU senior net-minder Allison Romano (E. Bridgewater, MA) collected three saves in the victory. Falcon sophomore Judith Valentin (Brockton, MA) registered five saves in the first half before she was replaced by junior Lucy Holewa (Londonderry, MA) who stopped five shots in the second stanza.
The Blue and Gold held the 19-8 lead in shots while also harnessing the 8-3 edge in penalty corners.
Worcester State takes a week off before hosting Eastern Connecticut next Saturday at 2 PM and Fitchburg State returns home for a Wednesday night affair with WPI at 5 PM.
The Lancers now even the Sterling Cup series at 1-1 in the win over the Falcons.
Story By John Hanna --- Sports Information Graduate Assistant
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