WESTFIELD, Mass. - The Worcester State University women's lacrosse team earned three major league awards as the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference announced its All-Conference selections on Wednesday afternoon.
Senior Lauren Arbec (Fairhaven, Mass.) was named the league's Defensive Player of the Year for the second time in her career, while sophomore Lily Gendron (Lakeville, Mass.) was named Co-Rookie of the Year. Kelly Downs was also selected as the MASCAC Coach of the Year.
In addition to their awards, Arbec and Gendron also each earned spots on the MASCAC's All-Conference Team.
Arbec started all nine games as the anchor for the Worcester State defense, ranking second in the MASCAC in both ground balls (28) and caused turnovers (19) in 2021. With Arbec's help, Worcester State's defense ranked second in the MASCAC with 8.49 goals against per game.
Arbec was also named MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore in 2019. She will graduate ranking third on Worcester State's all-time caused turnover list with 95 and sixth on the all-time ground balls list with 145, despite two abbreviated seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Gendron had a breakout year for the Lancers to be named Co-Rookie of the Year alongside Framingham State University's Hannah Guerin. Gendron was Worcester State's leading scorer in 2021, recording 22 goals and five assists for 27 points. She also recorded 27 ground balls, tied for third in the conference with teammate Abby Lauzon (Lakeville, Mass.), tied for sixth with 22 goals, and tied for eighth with 27 draw controls.
In her fifth season at the helm of Worcester State women's lacrosse, Downs earns her first MASCAC Coach of the Year honor. Downs led the Lancers to a share of the MASCAC Regular Season Championship in 2021 for the first time in program history, as the team finished the season with a record of 6-3 and 3-1 in MASCAC play. Worcester State's .667 winning percentage was the fifth best in program history, and highest in her tenure.
#WooWLAX