Three First-Half Goals Lift Field Hockey Over Fitchburg State, 3-1

Little East Tournament Bracket

Worcester, MA --- Senior Samantha Janda (Sterling, MA) had a goal and an assist to help Worcester State to a 3-1 victory over Fitchburg State in Little East Conference field hockey action this afternoon at Coughlin Field. With the triumph the Lancers earn their first LEC Tournament berth since the 2008 season.

Janda scored the first tally of the game at 10:18 on a shot from the left side of the field off a pass by classmate Haley Erickson (Saugus, MA) from the top of the circle.

Less than six minutes later, Janda assisted on the eventual game-winning goal when she sent a cross from the right side to freshman Kelli McPherson (Mansfield, MA) who shot it to the middle of the cage for her second goal of the year. 

The Lancers (10-7, 6-5 LEC) added their final goal in the closing seconds of the first half.  After a penalty corner, senior Molly Cotter (N. Easton, MA) passed the ball into the middle where classmate Lauren Daley (Dedham, MA) finished it off for her first goal of the season.

The Falcons (8-9, 4-7 LEC) scored their lone goal of the game at 44:51 when senior Megan Jacobs (Stoughton, MA) intercepted a pass in the backfield and launched a shot from the right side of the box shot for her LEC leading 22nd goal of the year. 

Just before the goal, Fitchburg State had a great opportunity to score when seniors Mari Roma (Foxboro, MA) and Kaylee Bergeron (Acushnet, MA) both took consecutive shots at open net, but Daley and Cotter stopped both of them back-to-back and prevented the Falcons from converting.

Erickson also contributed with a defensive save for WSU in the first half and Roma had one for the Falcons late in the second stanza. 

Junior Rebecca Mullen (Peabody, MA) made five saves in net for the Lancers while FSU senior goal-keeper Taylor Begin (Haverhill, MA) stopped six shots. 

The assist and goal gives Janda the team lead in points with 36 while the marker was her 14th of the campaign. McPearson's marker was her second game-clinching tally.

The Blue and Gold held the 20-14 edge in shots and the slight 8-7 advantage in penalty corners. 

In a brief pregame ceremony, Cotter, Janda, Daley, Erickson and classmates Sarah Cozzens (Lancaster, MA), Sabrina Tordoff (Bellingham, MA), Tiffany Boccia (Leominster, MA) and student assistant coach Kat Masterjohn (Warren, MA) were honored on "Senior Day" for playing in their last home regular season game.

Release By – Jim Sarkisian – Sports Information Intern