NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Junior defender Emily Saucier (Auburn, Mass.) was named Little East Conference (LEC) Defensive Player of the Year as the LEC announced their 2021 Field Hockey All-Conference teams on Thursday afternoon.
Saucier was also named to the LEC First Team, while Lexie Panagiotopoulos (Lowell, Mass.), Ann Maher (Mansfield, Mass.) and Emily Floury (Warren, Mass.) were voted Second Team All-Conference. Karalyn Jones (Wilbraham, Mass.) earned a Third Team All-Conference selection and goalie Sam Gastonguay (Ashburnham, Mass.) was tabbed as Worcester State's recipient of the 12th Player Award.
Saucier was named the LEC Defensive Player of the Year after leading a defensive unit that finished the year ranked No. 1 in the LEC in scoring defense, allowing 1.64 goals per contest. She helped lead Worcester State to an overall record of 15-6 this season, and the No. 2 seed in the 2021 LEC Championship Tournament. She had three defensive saves on the year, putting her in the top ten in the LEC in that category, and also added two goals and four assists.
Saucier is the second straight Lancer to earn Defensive Player of the Year honors. Before the pandemic cancelled last year's seasons, Sarah Bjorn earned the Award in 2019 when Worcester State won its first ever LEC championship and made its first NCAA DIII tournament appearance. Current Worcester State head coach Hayley Sutherland received the same award in 2017.
Floury was the team's leading scorer, recording 30 points on ten goals and two assists, including two game-winning goals. She was tied for second in the conference in assists and ranked seventh in the LEC in points per game.
Panagiotopoulos played in all 21 games, making 20 starts, and scored four goals and 11 points. She potted the game-winner in a 3-1 victory over Salem State early in the season and also scored the opening goal in a 2-1 overtime victory over WPI.
Maher, a senior defender, was an every-game starter on a back-line that collected four shutouts and allowed opponents to score just 1.64 goals per game. Maher also had a defensive save in a win over Fitchburg State, and three assists, including one on the game-tying goal against Salem State in the LEC playoffs.
Jones was among the most clutch players in the LEC, with four of her nine goals serving as game-winners. She scored six of those goals in conference play, where she also collected all five of her assists, good for 17 of her 23 points on the year. She netted dramatic game-winners in the final minutes of a win over Eastern Connecticut State, and in the final seconds of the LEC quarterfinals win over the Vikings.
Gastonguay, a sophomore goalie, is part of a strong young tandem in the cage for the Lancers. She played in 11 of 21 games, posting a 2.16 goals against average in nearly 600 minutes played. Gastonguay recorded 8 wins and 1 shutout while making 55 stops.
Worcester State field hockey won 15 games this year, including posting a 9-3 mark in LEC play that earned them the #2 seed in the conference tournament. They were 8-1 at home this year and reached the semifinals of the conference tournament, with a thrilling come from behind win over Salem State in the quarterfinals.