GORHAM, Maine – With the score tied at one late in the second half, Southern Maine's senior Jessica Boghosian (Belgrade, Maine) scored the game-winning goal on a penalty stroke awarded to the Huskies on Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field in Little East Conference (LEC) play.
With the loss, the Lancers fall to 9-7 (5-5 LEC), while the Huskies improve to 8-11 (4-6 LEC).
Despite being outshot and out-cornered in the opening stanza, Southern Maine took the lead over the Lancers in the first half. Junior Jennifer Poulin (Winslow, Maine) set the tone in the 29th minute for the Huskies as she redirected a shot sent in from sophomore Tayla Smedberg (Oxford, Maine).
Applying steady pressure to the Huskies' defense, the Lancers rallied to tie the score just 10 minutes into the second half. Sophomore Jolane Thibault (Douglas, Mass.) drove in her second goal of the season on a pretty give-and-go play in the circle with senior forward Taylor Ledwith (Springfield, Mass.).
Tied at 1-1, Worcester State continued to force the action in the Huskies' defensive third and had several strong attempts on goal, including a pair of point blank near post attempts from senior Erika Lepkowski (Baldwinville, Mass.) during two of the Lancers six second half penalty corners. The Lancers, however, were unable to break USM junior Amanda Kasbohm (York, Maine) for the go-ahead goal as the Huskies' goalkeeper made seven second half saves.
The Huskies' were awarded the decisive penalty shot in the 62nd minute after an infraction on a Worcester State defender was called in the circle. With the game tied, Boghosian stepped to the line and laced a strong shot to the left side of the cage for the win. Thibault had a pair of chances stopped by Kasbohm in the closing minutes, but each was turned away as the Huskies held for the win.
Worcester State's Julie O'Rourke (Worcester, Mass.) had a game-high eight shots – seven of which were on goal. Lepkowski and Ledwith each had two shots apiece while Ledwith tallied her second assist on the season.
For the Huskies, Poulin logged three shots on goal, while Boghosian, Smedberg, and Allana Agren (Cumberland, Maine) had two apiece.
Despite the loss, the Lancers took the shot advantage 16-9 over the Huskies and also outnumbered the Huskies 13-5 in penalty corners.
Sophomore goalkeeper, Kathryn Salemme (Boxboro, Mass.), took her fifth loss of the season, while Kasbohm improved to 8-11 on the season.
The Lancers return to action next Saturday (Oct. 31) for their regular season finale where they will entertain Westfield State at 2:00 p.m. for senior day.
Portions of this Release Courtesy of Southern Maine Sports Information