LEC Champs Sweep Conference's Weekly Awards

PAWTUCKET, R.I. - The Little East Conference Champion Worcester State University field hockey team has swept the conference's weekly awards, as announced by the LEC on Monday morning.

Senior Rachel Hopkins (Chelmsford, Mass.) was crowned LEC Offensive Player of the Week. Hopkins was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2019 LEC Championship Tournament after totaling eight goals, including all three game-winners, and two assists for 18 points to lead the Lancers to their first ever LEC tournament championship last week, The three-time LEC Offensive Player of the Week totaled three goals and two assists in a 7-0 quarterfinal win over UMass Dartmouth before scoring two goals in a 3-2 semifinal victory over Southern Maine, which saw her pot the game-winner 7:30 into overtime. Hopkins capped the week scoring three times in a 6-0 tournament final triumph over six-time defending LEC champion Keene State. The junior leads the LEC in scoring with 30 goals and 12 assists for 72 points.

Junior Coley Hayes (Norwood, Mass.) was named the LEC Defensive Player of the Week, and is the ninth Lancer field hockey player to receive an LEC weekly award in 2019. Hayes contributed at both ends of the field as the Lancers posted a pair of shutouts on their way to their first-ever LEC tournament championship last week. She helped limit UMass Dartmouth to just two shots (one on goal) while scoring one goal with one assist in a 7-0 quarterfinal win, and set up two goals in a 3-2 overtime win over Southern Maine in the semifinals, including the game-winner that came 7:30 into the extra frame. The junior added one more assist while helping limit six-time defending champion Keene State to nine shots (three on goal) in a 6-0 tournament final victory. Hayes now has nine goals and six assists for 15 points on the year.

Sophomore Jess Hopkins (Chelmsford, Mass.) earned LEC Goalkeeper of the Week honors for the second consecutive week after posting a trio of victories between the pipes as the Lancers captured their first ever LEC tournament championship last week. She was in for 45 shutout minutes of a 7-0 quarterfinal victory over UMass Dartmouth and capped the week stopping each of the three shots on goal she faced in a 6-0 tournament final win over six-time defending champion Keen State. Hopkins is now 18-4 for the season with a 0.99 goals against average.

Freshman Carly Duff (Warren, Mass.) was named LEC Rookie of the Week for the second time in 2019 after providing a strong defensive effort off the bench for a unit that allowed only two goals and posted a pair of shutouts as Worcester State captured its first-ever LEC tournament championship last week. Duff and the Lancers held UMass Dartmouth to just two shots (one on goal) in a 7-0 quarterfinal win before holding six-time defending champion Keene State to nine shots (three on goal) in a 6-0 tournament final victory.

Worcester State will open NCAA Tournament play on Wednesday at #11 Messiah College in Grantham, Pa.

#WooFH

Release courtesy of the Little East Conference.