Worcester State Advances to WooCup Championship with Win over Greyhounds

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Lancers begin their 2025-26 season in traditional fashion on Friday evening as they compete in the fifth Annual Worcester WooCup, this year hosted by Assumption University. The Lancers would take on the Greyhounds on dual home ice in the Friday night battle.

Final- OT

Worcester State: 3

Assumption: 2

How it Happened:

In the opening season first half action between Assumption and Worcester State, the two teams found themselves battling it out across the ice. In the period, junior goalkeeper Donovan Alfama (Douglas, MA) racked up 21 saves on 21 shots faced. Also in the period graduate student Shane Prifrel (Inner Grove Heights, MN) led the Lancers with three shots on goal. Worcester would look to capitalize on their lone power play chance of the period but, just as their defense had been solid, the Greyhounds would prevent their scoring chances for a 0-0 game into the second. 

Assumption would first start off the period with a five minute major as Assumption would find the back of the net first in the second frame after building up momentum during their first power play chance of the period and scoring shorthanded on the Worcester play. Under a minute later the Lancers would equalize on the same powerplay with junior forward Brady Carpenter (Peabody, MA) assisted by junior forward Matt Lombardi (Hudson, MA) in the opening five minutes of the second. Lombardi would find the back of the net himself around halfway through the period giving the Lancers the 2-1 lead, this time assisted by Carpenter. Assumption would manage to bring the game back to equal with just under two minutes remaining to put all the pressure on the third. 

The third period would find both teams hitting a scoring stalemate as they each looked to claim the win on the night. Each team would record a penalty and be nearly equal in the stalemate period that would force overtime action on the opening day of the WooCup. Two minutes into the sudden death OT would find Worcester advancing to the championship versus Anna Maria as junior Matthew Nuzzolilo (Worcester, MA) would rocket a shot into the cage from a perfect set up from fellow junior Michael Shaaf (Nashua, NH) for the 3-2 victory.

What's Next:

With the final, Worcester State will play Anna Maria on Sunday at 7:10pm in the WooCup Championship game.