Field Hockey Drops 3-0 Setback To Western Connecticut

Worcester, MA --- Western Connecticut senior Nicole Andreasen (New Fairfield, CT) and classmate Victoria Vitale (West Milford, CT) both tallied a goal and an assist to help lead the Colonials to a 3-0 victory over Worcester State in Little East Conference field hockey action this evening at Coughlin Field.

The Lancers (2-8, 0-6 LEC) did a tremendous job of keeping the visitors off the board early as senior keeper Rebecca Mullen (Peabody, MA) recorded three saves and junior Katherine Bitters (Greenfield, MA) recorded a defensive stop around the 15 minute mark to keep Western Connecticut at bay.

But Colonial senior Deanne Mastrocola (Goshen, CT) found the back of the net with 2:15 remaining in the opening period on an unassisted tally for her second of the year. Mastrocola fired a rocket from the top of the circle and then the ball was slightly redirected off of a defenders stick into the cage.

Building off the same momentum in the first half, Western Connecticut (4-6, 2-4 LEC) scored twice more in the second period off of penalty corners for the 3-0 advantage.

1:44 into the final stanza, Andreasen found Vitale open on the left side of the marker for WSCU's second marker and her fourth of the campaign.

Less than four minutes later, Vitale returned the favor on the insertion to set-up Vitale, who knocked in her team-leading fifth tally of the season.

Mullen finished with nine saves in the setback for Worcester State while junior Courtney Hearn (New Fairfield, CT) was called upon to make just one save.

Bitters finished the contest with a pair of defensive stops while senior Torey Kuchachik (Ashland, MA) added two more to increase her team-lead to five.

Western Connecticut held the 16-1 edge in shots on goal and the 11-2 margin in penalty corners.

Both squads continue LEC play on Saturday afternoon. Worcester State travels to Keene State for a 1:30 matchup as the Colonials head to Bridgewater State for a 3:30 contest.