Westfield State Edges Field Hockey, 4-3

Westfield, MA --- Westfield State senior Courtney Araujo (Somerset, MA) netted the game-winning marker as time expired on a penalty corner as she helped lead the Owls to a 4-3 win over Worcester State in Little East Conference field hockey action at Alumni Field on Friday evening.

After freshman Holly Brouillette (Burlington, MA) helped put the Owls (6-7, 3-5 LEC) up 3-1 with 59:04 off the clock, the Lancers (8-6, 2-6 LEC) rallied for two goals in the final 10 minutes of the final stanza off the stick of junior Katelyn Abber (Dedham, MA).

Westfield State, however, buckled down on defense and prevented the visitors from getting back into the striking circle. As time wound down in regulation, the Owls fired off a pair of shots which were stonewalled by Lancer net minder Allison Romano (E. Bridgewater, MA).

However, the hosts were awarded a penalty corner as the clock hit zeros and ended the match with Araujo's second marker of the campaign.

Worcester State originally staked the early lead when sophomore Erika Lepkowski (Baldwinville, MA) potted her sixth marker of the season at the 9:04 mark off an assist by freshman Katelyn Carmody (Shelburne Falls, MA).

But the Owls knotted the score up 1-1 nearly two minutes later after Brouillette (Burlington, MA) tallied for Westfield State.

In the final 15 minutes of the opening frame, freshman Meghan Pini (Natick, MA) had back-to-back chances in front of the net, but she was denied by senior Jess Rodier (Oxford, MA). The Lancers also failed to convert a pair of penalty corner opportunities.

The hosts came out of the gate for the second half on the attack as junior Kelsey Carpenter (Barre, MA) hit home the go-ahead goal just four minutes into the stanza.

After the Lancers missed out on a chance to score on a blocked shot by junior Molly Kilday (Westford, MA) with 16 minutes left in regulation, the Owls used the opportunity to net an insurance goal to make the score 3-1.

Westfield State led in the shot department (15-7), shots on goal (11-5) and corners (6-4). Romano stopped seven shots for the Blue and Gold while Rodier recorded a pair of saves for the Owls.

Junior Kelli McPherson (Mansfield, MA) notched helpers on both of Abber's goals as she now leads the team with 25 points on the campaign to tie for the seventh-best sum in the LEC. Abber also potted her ninth and tenth tallies of the year.

Both squads continue LEC play on Tuesday. Worcester State makes the long journey up to Gorham, Maine to face off against Southern Maine at 4 PM while Westfield State hosts Keene State at 7.