Worcester, MA- The Lancers women's hockey team visited Castleton University Spartans this evening for their third battle of the young season. Worcester State came in hot after a fantastic opening week with two wins that brought about a Rookie of the Week and a Player of the Week honor. Castleton came in with a 1-0 record, so both teams were playing to keep a perfect record.
The first period came and went without either team cracking the scoreboard in an incredibly even-keeled period. Both the Lancers and Spartans got 12 shots on net, but none were able to squeak by the teams respective goalies. Worcester State got a couple of power play opportunities while Castleton got one of their own, but neither team was able to capitalize.
The score remained at 0-0 until halfway through the second when a faceoff in the offensive zone won by the Lancers resulted in the first goal of the night, credited to senior Katie Puumala (Framingham, Mass.). Down 1-0, the Spartans went on the power play with just under eight minutes to go in the second. However, it was the short handed Lancers who would score next, with graduate captain graduate student Clare Conway (Billerica, Mass.) getting to a loose puck just outside of the attacking zone and carrying it right in on net and sneaking the puck between the goalies glove and pad to put Worcester State up 2-0. Castleton was able to pull back within one with less than two minutes left, and then put another one in the back of the net just a minute later. With the two late goals the score was even at 2-2 headed into the third period.
The score remained even until about nine minutes in, when Castleton took advantage of an attacking zone face off that was the result of a Worcester State penalty and scored to take their first lead of the night, 3-2. The Spartans distanced themselves from the Lancers just moments later, taking a 4-2 lead on a rebound goal.
The two-goal deficit would prove to be too much to overcome, as Worcester State dropped its first game of the season. They'll play again next Friday at home when they host Salve Regina at 7:10 p.m.