Lancers Drop Second Match to Seahawks

Worcester, MA- Following a tough 4-1 home loss on Friday night at the hands of the Salve Regina Seahawks, the Worcester State women's ice hockey team traveled to Salve's home ice with their sights set on getting revenge just a couple days later. 

Friday, the Lancers were overmatched in every facet, especially in shots on goal. They were able to make an adjustment today that saw them keep pace with the Seahawks with 11 shots to Salve's 12 in the first period, but that one-shot difference was also the difference on the scoreboard heading into the first intermission. Worcester State fell behind 1-0 with just 20 seconds left in the period on a tip-in goal that came off an attacking zone faceoff win for the Seahawks. 

The Seahawks came into the second period with a hot start, putting some space between themselves and the Lancers with a goal less than four minutes in to make the score 2-0. The Lancers would supply plenty of pressure throughout the remainder of the second frame, but were unable to get anything past the Seahawk goalie. Salve Regina went on a powerplay for the final two minutes of the period, but the Lancers were able to successfully kill it off and head into the locker room with a little bit of momentum. 

In an almost carbon copy of their second period goal, Salve scored their third goal in the opening minutes of the period off of another attacking zone face off. Now down three, the Lancers had a lot of work to do in the final 17 minutes of play. In the 11th minute the Seahawks would solidify their lead with another goal, putting them on top 4-0. The Lancers would finally get one on the sheet with a graduate student Clare Conway (Billerica, Mass.) rebounded shot at 15:44. 

The remaining three goal deficit proved too much to overcome in the time remaining and the Lancers dropped the home and home weekend series two games to none, and returned home with a record of 2-3. Salve Regina bring themselves to a 2-2 record on the season. 

For the first time in program history the Lancers' senior Amber Lee (Fairlawn, NJ) was not between the pipes as sophomore Kelsey Czerniawski (Chicopee, MA) stepped in to provide Lee a well earned game off, after her 41 save performance Friday night, and have her own chance to shine on the ice. Czerniawski concluded the game with 40 saves, including a number of diving, lunging skate saves, in her first collegiate appearance.Senior Katie Pummala (Framingham, MA) had a strong performance on the ice with 10 shots in the game while first year Jennarae Bateman (Forest Lake, MN) recorded an assist in the afternoon.

Worcester State (3-2, 0-0) will have a few days off until their next game on Friday night at 7:10 p.m. against New England College.