Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Women's Ice Hockey team (6-10-1, 4-1-1) returned to home ice this evening to take on the Western New England Golden Bears (10-4-2, 7-3-1) in a rematch with Western New England. The Golden Bears were just able to come away with the 2-1 overtime victory in the teams last battle just 14 days ago, and Worcester was aiming to settle the score.

Final

Worcester State: 2

Western New England: 4

The opening action of the period would see each team criss crossing across the ice in a bid to get the early momentum. While the Lancers were quick on their shots, it was the Golden Bears who opened the scoring early with a face-off grab straight to cage goal for Allison Walker (Morrisville, VT) just under four minutes into the period. The Lancers would add the pressure for themselves nearly a minute later when they found themselves with a penalty, but the defense prowess of Worcester came in, in full force, shutting down all of Western New England's chances. A second penalty with just four minutes to go would put the Lancers to the test, after being on the receiving end of shot after shot from the Golden Bears. Just 30 seconds into the penalty kill attempt, the Golden Bears Alex Paoli (Springs, CO) would extend the lead to two. The Lancers would not let that difference stand, just over a minute later, the Lancers would work the puck out of the corner where graduate student Katie Puumala (Framingham, MA) would work her away across the face of the cage and flip the puck behind the WNE keeper for their first goal of the game. The Golden Bears would take a 19-5 shot lead into the first break, but the Lancers made all their chances count.

The start of the second period would see the attack for the Lancers intensify as they looked to grab the tying goal. With nearly eight minutes gone in the second period, the Golden bears rocket a slap shot from the top of zone for Walker to grab goal number two on the day, and see WNE back up by two. The Lancers quickly got back on the attack and began working the puck around the offensive zone, firing shot after shot on WNE's Kayla Ireland (Station, NY). All the hustle provided the Lancers their own skater-advantage with just over 7:30 to go in the second. The Golden Bears upped their pressure during the stretch and managed to prevent the Lancers from building too many opportunities, leaving Worcester State without a goal. While the Lancers were unable to cut into the goal differential, the did win the shots battle in for the period, outshooting 15-7, and hoping to translate that offensive success to goals in the third.

The final period of regulation would see the Lancers continue their offensive attack, but the Golden Bears amped up the pressure, keeping their skaters high on the puck from the start of the action in a bid to prevent a Lancer resurgence. This overall aggressive tactic would cost the Golden Bears a skater with 10 minutes to go and with just seven seconds left in the penalty, senior Sydney Vatour (South Hamilton, MA) would receive a pass from fellow senior Cassidhe Wozniak (Turner Falls, MA) to slap a shot over the right shoulder of Ireland for Worcester's second goal. Worcester State would work the rest of the period to find gaps in the Golden Bears defense, peppering shot after shot into the zone, but with a minute and half left sophomore goalkeeper Kelsey Czerniawski (Chicopee, MA) was pulled to give Worcester an extra skater. The tactic nearly succeeded until a redirected pass put the puck into the Worcester defensive zone where it slipped into the cage for the goal.

Czerniawski would end the game with 29 saves for the Lancers on the night.

The Lancers now move to (6-11-1,4-1-1) on the night, the Golden Bears now sit at (11-4-2, 7-3-1). Worcester State returns to action after a 10 day hiatus, in their rescheduled rematch with New England College on January 30th at 2pm.