Framingham, MA --- Sophomore Jillian Witkowski (Leicester, MA) stopped all four shots she saw on net and junior Cassie Giardina (Pittsfield, MA) potted the game-winning goal as fourth-seeded Worcester State blanked #1 Framingham State, 3-0, this afternoon at the Maple Street Field in the semifinals of the MASCAC Tournament.
The Lancers (11-6-2) move on to their seventh conference championship game appearance since 2004 and improve to 3-0 as the fourth seed in league tournament play all-time. The Rams (13-2-1) await word of a possible ECAC Division III New England Tournament bid on selection Monday.
Worcester State will play #3 Bridgewater State on Sunday in the championship at 12 PM. It marks the eighth time they face off in the postseason tournament and the third occassion for the conference title.
Giardina helped the Blue and Gold start off the game on the right foot in the 11th minute with the early 1-0 lead. Junior Shelby Archer (Dayville, CT) found a seam on the left side of the field and sent it to Giardina, who made a nifty move inside the box for her fourth marker of the season.
Archer, who dished out her eighth helper of the campaign is tied for second in the conference in the category and she equaled a school record held by Lancer Hall of Famer Melissa Crowley (1992) and Trisha Cushing (1999).
Framingham State came back with a vengeance as they placed nine shots on the other side of the field in the last 35 minutes of the opening frame, but came up empty.
Junior Isabella DeSouza (Framingham, MA) and senior Mary Brinkman (Bridgewater, MA) both tested Witkowski around the 22nd minute mark, but their bids were both rejected by the keeper. Freshman Olivia Buonopane (Middleton, MA) also was open in front of the net in the 33rd minute, however, her attempt was just high of the open cage.
After the intermission, Worcester State scored some insurance for the 2-0 score the 62nd minute when sophomore Alicia Macomber (Stoughton, MA) sniped a cross from senior Gaby Gonet (Agawam, MA). Macomber beat the keeper on a one-timer for her team-best ninth marker of the year.
Freshman Kendal Bergenholtz (Grafton, MA) put the game away with her third tally of the season in an opening from the right side of the net by senior Laura Maunsell (Medford, MA) in the 76th minute for the final score.
While the Rams held the slim 14-13 edge in shots as it was a tale of two halves; the hosts led 10-5 in the opening frame and the Lancers doubled up their opponents, 8-4 in the final stanza. Framingham State also held the 7-0 margin in corners – including a 5-0 edge in the first period.
Witkowski recorded her fifth shutout of the season for a 10-5-1 mark on the campaign while sophomore Sara Sullivan (Quincy, MA) collected six saves in just her second setback of the year (10-2).
With her helper this afternoon, Gonet moves into a tie with Lauren Cush (2004-07) four ninth on the all-time scoring list (22 goals – 13 assists) with 58 points.
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