Worcester, MA --- Nichols College sophomore Avery Orszulak (Springfield, MA) tallied a goal and an assist for the visiting Bison as they were able to upend Worcester State, 4-0, in non-conference field hockey action this evening at Coughlin Field.
Nichols (12-6) got off to a fast start when Orszulak was able to send a cross from the right side finding classmate Lindsey Rappazzo (Mashpee, MA) who chipped it into the back of the net from point blank range just 52 seconds into the contest for her third goal this season.
Worcester State (3-14) had a great chance off a penalty corner, but were unable to capitalize less than a minute and a half later.
Freshman Julie O'Rourke (Worcester, MA/ St. Peter-Marian) sent in the initial feed off the corner, and with great movement by the Lancers, O'Rourke regained possession of the ball. She was denied, however, by sophomore net-minder Molly Melanson (Simsbury, CT) to prevent the tie game.
At the 10:54 mark, Orszulak was stuffed on back-to-back occasions by freshman Megan Ripke (Agawam, MA) who made two nice defense saves in an attempt to end the play. However, following the second defensive stop, the Lancers were found in violation of stopping the path of the ball and Nichols was awarded a penalty stroke.
Sophomore Jenn Townsend (Wethersfield, CT) converted the shot for her fifth marker of the year to help put the visitors up 2-0.
The Blue and Gold had several opportunities to cut into the advantage with a trio penalty corners, but were unable to convert.
With just under ten minutes remaining in the half, senior Ally Valencia (Foxboro, MA) let loose a rocket from the top of the circle, but Melanson made a great pad save deflecting the ball away to preserve the shutout.
As time wound down in the opening stanza, sophomore Kaylee McNamara (Watertown, MA) inserted the ball off of a penalty corner right to senior Emily Widdison (Greenfield, MA), who unleashed a ball at the top of the circle with the horn sounding off in the background to end the period.
WSU senior Rebecca Mullen (Peabody, MA) stopped the ball, but Orszulak was able to corral the rebound and put it home for the 3-0 halftime lead. The tally for Orszulak was her 10th of the campaign.
Midway through the second half, Mullen was brilliant in denying consecutive chances by junior Emily Broughton (Grantham, NH), however, she was unable to get a pad on the third chance as the ball found the back of the cage for what proved to be the final goal of the match. Broughton has now scored a trio of goals for Nichols this season.
Mullen, was solid for the Lancers as she stopped 12 shots in the losing effort while Melanson added 11 saves for the Bison. Melanson also blanked her third opponent of the season and it marks the fourth team that the squad has shutout this campaign.
Mullen and Valencia along with senior classmates Nicole Harvey (Attleboro, MA), and Torey Kuchachik (Ashland, MA) were honored in a brief pregame ceremony on "Senior Night" for playing in their final home contest.
The Green and Black finished the contest leading in shots 24-13 and penalty corners 9-7.
With two defensive stops this evening by Ripke, the Lancers are just one away from equalizing the school record which was set last year.
Both teams get back to action on Saturday morning when the Lancers head to Fitchburg State for a 10 o'clock affair, and Nichols returns home to face Endicott at 11 AM.
Story by John Hanna --- Sports Information Graduate Assistant
