Telegram College Round-Up Lead Story
Worcester, MA --- Sophomore Alicia Macomber (Stoughton, MA) and freshman Beth Spinazzola (Westford, MA) both registered one goal and an assist as they both helped pace Worcester State to a 5-2 come-from-behind victory over UMass Dartmouth this evening in non-conference women's soccer action at Coughlin Field.
Trailing 2-0 entering the second half the Lancers scored twice 2½ minutes apart to tie up the contest.
Macomber helped get the hosts started with her team-leading seventh marker of the season in the 65th minute by taking a pass from the near side 20-yardline from Spinazzola. Spinazzola then blasted the equalizer off a cross from the right sideline off a beautiful pass from junior Shelby Archer (Dayville, CT).
The Corsairs (10-7-1) came back with their first bid of the half in the 68th minute, but freshman Lucy Jensen (Boxborough, MA) was denied by first-year keeper Vanessa O'Donnell (Worcester, MA/Burncoat) on consecutive tries.
After Jensen missed wide three minutes later, freshman Kendal Bergenholtz (Grafton, MA) tallied the match clincher for the Blue and Gold in the 78th minute. Archer found an open Bergenholtz who dribbled into the right side of the box and buried her second marker of the campaign for the 3-2 lead.
Worcester State (8-6-2) continued their momentum in the 81st minute when freshman Kiley Hardy (Pepperell, MA) headed a direct corner kick by Macomber for some insurance. Then junior Margo Clifford (Attleboro, MA) made a move off a nice cross by classmate Alyssa Sawyer (W. Springfield, MA) to ice the game with seven minutes left in regulation.
The Corsairs took the early one-goal lead in the eighth minute after a solid dish from the midfield from senior Tori Pierce (Tiverton, RI) to classmate Jillian Van Ness (Agawam, MA) for her fifth goal of the season.
UMD made the score 2-0 in the 12th minute off of a free kick on the 25-yardline by senior Sam Silva (Dighton, MA). Silva lobbed a great ball to junior Shelby Freidland (New Bedford, MA) who tipped it right to Jenson who buried her fourth tally of the year for the visitors.
Worcester State finished with the 16-12 edge in shots (11-3 in second half) while both squads were tied up in corners (3-3).
O'Donnell stopped six of the eight shots she saw between the pipes for the Lancers as her counterpart, senior Michelle Miller (Westford, MA), collected four saves for the Corsairs.
With her three points tonight, Macomber becomes the 26th women's soccer player to join the 25-point club as she now has 11 goals and five assists in her two seasons as a Lancer.
Clifford and Spinazzola both chipped in with their first goals of 2013 as WSU moves into third in the MASCAC with 32 markers.
Both squads host league opponents on Saturday to close out the regular season. Worcester State takes on Fitchburg State on "Senior Day" in a must-win contest at 11 AM. UMass Dartmouth entertains Western Connecticut at 5 o'clock at Cressy Field.
In what might be a little bit of deja vu, the WSU men's team netted five unanswered goals in the second half yesterday to post same identical score yesterday on "Senior Night" over the Corsairs.
You can follow the Worcester State Lancers on Facebook and Twitter