WORCESTER, Mass. – Gordon College's Olivia McCarrick (Millersville, Md.) and MC Aston (Greenwich, N.Y.) led the visiting Fighting Scots to a 14-8 victory over Worcester State University on the Lancers' season opening night Thursday at John Coughlin Field.
McCarrick led the squad with four goals and four assists, while Aston recorded four goals. Both Hannah Bourk (Barrington, R.I.) and Anna Rourke (Hamilton, Mass.) picked up a two goals and an assist apiece in the win.
Worcester State held the first advantage of the game just 23 seconds into the game when rookie Kelly Austin (Brimfield, Mass.) scored her first collegiate goal on a pass from Mackenzie Little (Dorchester, Mass.). However, the Fighting Scots rallied back to a 2-1 advantage on goals from Rourke and McCarrick. Austin and Mackenzie connected once again at the 10 minute mark to knot the game at 2-2.
Gordon and Worcester went back-and-forth for a good portion of the half, until Gordon ended the stanza with a 5-1 run, including four unanswered goals in the last 10 minutes. Paige Thompson (West Chester, Pa.) stared the scoring with 10:38 left on the clock, from where Aston collected two consecutive goals and Rourke tallied the 9th goal on a free position shot to go into the intermission ahead 9-4.
Worcester State's Alexis Vecchiarelli (Agawam, Mass.) and Gordon's Aston each tallied two goals apiece in the first 10 minutes of the second half to advance the score to 11-6 in the Fighting Scots favor. Nevertheless, Gordon outscored the Lancers 3-2 in the remaining 20 minutes of play, two of which were man-up goals, to seize the 14-8 victory.
Gordon's Melanie Dwyer (Reading, Mass.) registered the win in goal, as she tallied 12 saves throughout the contest. Worcester's Krissy Pessa (Walpole, Mass.) suffered the first loss of the season in a 6-save performance.
Despite the loss, Worcester State held the advantage in draw controls (16-7) and free positions shots as they made 2-of-5.
Worcester State committed 24 fouls, while the Fighting Scots only drew 14. Gordon also caused the Lancers to turn the ball over 17 times throughout the contest.
The Lancers return to action tomorrow (Mar. 10) when they host Colby-Sawyer in another non-conference tilt at Coughlin Field, at 5 p.m. The Scots will take the weekend off and travel to Tennessee early next week to take part in their Spring Games.