WPI 5, Worcester State 4 - Penalty Strokes
Worcester, MA --- Sophomore Danielle Antonellis (Duxbury, MA) registered the decisive stroke to help WPI beat Worcester State this evening, 5-4 in penalty strokes.
Both teams renewed their rivalry as the Engineers upped their record to 6-1 while the Lancers slip to 2-5. Four of their last six matchups since 2004 have been decided by a total of three goals, which includes a WSC 2-1 double-overtime victory last season.
After the two teams could not find the back of the net through 30 minutes of first and second overtimes, both teams missed their first two attempts in the stroke period. Freshman Megan Read (Wrentham, MA) found the cage first on the Engineers third try before Worcester State tied it in its fourth go by sophomore Molly Cotter (N. Easton, MA) setting up the stage for Antonellis to clinch it on WPI's fifth attempt and end the marathon.
Late in the second stanza, with a 3-3 tie and less than five minutes left to play, sophomore Kaitlyn Delisle (Taunton, MA) gave the Lancers the lead at 65:02 as the Lancers took advantage of a penalty corner.
But, WPI answered three minutes later at 68:14 on an unassisted goal by senior Jackie McDonough (Winchester, MA) to knot the game and put the game into extra frames.
Worcester State originally had a 2-0 advantage ten minutes into the contest as WSC scored on unassisted goals by Samantha Janda (Sterling, MA) and Delisle, 90 seconds apart. Sophomore Tiffany Boccia (Leominster, MA) tacked on another tally at 29:01 on a penalty stroke to push the lead to 3-0.
The Engineers, however, would break the shutout with four minutes left to play in the first on a rocket by senior Kelly Johnson (Buxton, ME).
The Crimson and Gray came out onto the field and staged a furious comeback as they tied the score at 3-3 within the first ten minutes of the second half. Less than three minutes into the period at 37:23, McDonough scored first before WPI scored the equalizer off of a penalty corner. Celena Dopart (Washington, DC) and Maggie Wigley (Bridgewater, MA) set up the ball for Johnson who hit a rocket right past the goalkeeper for the score at 44:29.
There were two outstanding defensive saves made in the game as they both helped preserve leads for both teams in the waning minutes of the game. WPI's came at 59:02 when sophomore Katelyn Comeau (Goffstown, NH) stopped a nice attempt at the cage by sophomore Sarah Cozzens (Lancaster, MA) to keep a 3-3 tie. Senior Vernoica Farrell (Baldwinville, MA) leaped and made a diving stop on a laser by sophomore Emily Pierce (Avon, CT) to maintain a 4-3 lead for the Lancers.
Worcester State finished the contest with a 34-12 edge in total shots (23-8 on goal). The Lancers started out with a 9-1 advantage in shots in the first period, but WPI held the upper hand in the second period with a 10-7 lead in the category. The Blue and Gold also had the upper hand in shots in both overtime periods (15-3), but they could not finish on the other end of the field to clinch the game.
WSC also attempted more penalty corners as they finished 22 to the Crimson and Gray's 11.
Engineer senior Allie Griffin (Billerica, MA) registered 18 saves, but made her mark in the first overtime as she rejected nine shots on goal. Classmate Elizabeth Ray (Simsbury, CT) took over during the penalty strokes and only allowed only one of the five strokes she faced to score.
Sophomore Katherine Masterjohn (Warren, MA) shouldered the loss as she stopped two shots for the Lancers.
Both teams will entertain conference opponents on Saturday at 11 AM. Worcester State hosts Framingham State in a Little East matchup while WPI faces off against MIT in their NEWMAC opener.
Photo by Albana Xhemollari - WSC Student Photographer