Lancers Fall in Non-Conference Battle to Keene State

Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Men's Soccer team travelled to Keene, NH in the second to last regular season match up of the season. The Lancers looked to wrap up their non-conference schedule with one last win before heading into their conference finale on Friday.

Final: Worcester: 1  Keene State: 2

The start of the action saw the Lancers and Owls possessing the ball equally as each team worked to find their gap through the solid defense and put a point on the scoreboard. Keene managed to find the gap in the 5' minute action when a shot off Christian Correa's foot, placed in top left corner of the cage, sailed over the fingers of senior Andy Ramirez (Waltham, MA) to see the Owls with a quick 1-0 lead. The Lancers defense worked to readjust but just five minutes later Keene doubled the lead with a nearly identical goal, the second for Correa on the night, to jump into a quick lead. After some quick strategy shifts and substitutions the Lancers were able to settle into their pressure and begin to work their way back into this match. After multiple attempts and near misses the Lancers cut into the lead in the 34' minute with a well-placed drop-in goal by sophomore Taylor Gavaletz (Dudley, MA) to bring the score to 2-1. While the Lancers continued their offensive attack for the remainder of the half, the score would remain 2-1 into the half.

The second half was a defensive battle between the Owls and Lancers as each team, through everything they had to come away with the victory. The defensive dominance of both teams was on display shutting down potential scoring plays across the box. As the final minutes of regulation kicked down the Lancers again put the pressure on high, with shots from around the lineup including near tying goals from juniors Waseem Mahmoud (Northborough, MA), Nate Lewos (Auburn, MA) and Declan Ryder (Worcester, MA) but the Keene's Eldin Husanovic was able to stifle the attack and prevent the tying attempt from the Lancers.

Ramirez ended the night with five saves in the complete game as the Lancers had 14 shots to Keene's 13, with six Lancers shots finding the frame to Keene's seven.

Worcester State (4-7-4, 2-4) returns to action on Friday when they travel down to Bourne to wrap up their regular season in a pivotal seeing battle with the Mass. Maritime Buccaneers for a 7pm start.