Worcester, MA- After a strong showing versus #3 Amherst College this past weekend, the Lancers (6-6, 4-1) are back to continue their conference dominance as they host Framingham State (0-10, 0-4) in just their second meeting. The Women's Ice Hockey team claimed their first win against Framingham State earlier this season on the road with a 9-0 victory and look to continue their attacking success tonight.
Final
Worcester State: 3
Framingham State: 2
How it Happened:
The first period found Worcester working to resettle onto their home ice after a stretch of away games. Framingham worked to capitalize on the slow start, putting early pressure on sophomore Lana Pacific (Marlborough, MA). Worcester slowly started to reassert themselves on the attack getting some solid chances of their own but after a power play for each team and a Lancer 15-8 shot advantage each team would carry a 0-0 game into the first intermission.
The second period would still see both sides looking for their groove on the ice while the Rams high pressure defensive style was causing the Lancers to shoot quick and without their normal strength as they looked to find the back of the net. With just under four minutes remaining the Rams would open the scoring off a controversial goal that saw Pacific fighting for space in her crease while a Rams skater was settled behind the keeper after wiping out on a breakaway attempt. The chaos and obstruction would allow Framingham to whip a shot that would fly past Pacific. An interference penalty just 30 seconds later on Framingham would allow Worcester to settle the score off a perfect corner slap from graduate student Sydney Vautour (South Hamilton, MA) off a perfect cross zone pass from sophomore Caroline Melanson (Wakefield,MA).
Worcester would come out shots firing in the third grabbing two within seconds of each other. The first came off the quick strike again of Vautour this time from first year Emily Johns (Clinton, MA). Vautout would then win the face off and charge down the ice and dish it to junior Cailey Ryan (Acton, MA) for goal number three for Worcester. Framingham was not prepared to back down though as they would find a break away moment just over five minutes later to bring the game to a 3-2 score. With the intensity and passion high, each team fought to hold on and claim the victory and as the final horn sounded, Worcester managed to outlast the Rams for their fifth conference win.
Pacific would end the night with 12 saves in the action for the Lancers.
What's Next:
Worcester State (7-6, 5-1) takes just a day off from games before taking on #11 Utica on Thursday night at home for a 6:30 puck drop.