MIT 3, Worcester State 1
Cambridge, MA --- A pair of second half goals were enough for MIT to shut down Worcester State College as the Engineers went on to win, 3-1, over the Lancers today on Roberts Field.
Neither team was able to gain momentum for the first fifteen minutes of play, as they battled evenly back-and-forth across the field. MIT (1-2) opened the scoring in the sixteenth minute when sophomore Alisha Lussiez fed captain Katie Pesce who put the ball away for the first goal of her senior season.
Worcester State (2-1) refused to go quietly and maintained strong pressure on the MIT defense. In the 30th minute, Lancers' sophomore Danielle Clifford (Attleboro, MA) took advantage of an Engineer miscommunication as she stole the ball near the top of the penalty box and blasted home the tying goal from twenty yards.
MIT's offense came on strong at the end of the half, forcing three corner kicks in the final two minutes, but Worcester State's Rachael Armenti (W. Boylston, MA) neutralized the attack. The junior keeper scored seven saves, including four in the first half.
Five minutes into second half, the Engineers took the lead for good when Lussiez tossed a throw in to the feet of MIT's Edith Reshef, who was able to turn and fire a thirty-yard bomb past a diving Armenti.
In the 63rd minute, the Engineers opened the lead as Reshef crossed to an open Emily Kuo who scored her first career goal from five yards out.
Worcester State tried to respond less than two minutes later when senior Stephanie Demake (Auburn, MA) slipped one past keeper Katy Olesnavage but was denied by MIT's Claire DeRosa who was there to clear the shot. Olesnavage tallied four saves of her own as she kept the Lancers scoreless in the second half.
Both teams play their next games on the road this Saturday with MIT traveling to the University of Southern Maine and Worcester State facing Wheaton.
Release Courtesy of MIT Sports Information