Women's Ice Hockey Repeats as ECHA Champions

Worcester, MA-It was a championship game full of storylines. A rematch of last season's title game between the Worcester State University Lancers and the Anna Maria College Amcats. It was a rubber game, as the two squads split their season series a game a piece. It was a revenge game for the Amcats who looked to redeem their loss in last year's ECHA final. It was a revenge game for the Lancers, who lost their first conference game in program history to the Amcats less than a month ago. The stage was set for an epic championship battle. And the game did not disappoint. 

In a period rich in scoring chances set up by designed plays and established zone time, an unassisted goal would prove to be the only scoring for either team in the first. Sophomore Kiersten Erickson (Broomfield, Colo.) put the Lancers up 1-0 with a close-quarters wrist shot after picking the pocket of an Amcat defender right out in front of the Anna Maria crease. The goal, coming at 15:20, was the highlight of an action-packed opening 20 minutes. Anna Maria spent over four minutes on the power play, but we're unable to get anything across the goal line. A last-minute penalty on Worcester State meant that the Amcats would get the chance to come out of the intermission with a great opportunity to score an equalizer. 

Take advantage of that opportunity they would, as the Amcats pulled even with the Lancers on the period-opening power play. Sophomore Olympia Myers (Grimsby, Ont.) came away with the equalizer. The Amcats kept momentum on their side about eight minutes later, when junior Shayla MacDonald (Victoria, B.C.) took advantage of a second-chance opportunity, sliding a rebound past the last line of Lancer defense to give Anna Maria their first lead of the game. The second-chance goal would make another appearance before the second intermission, when Lancer senior Cassidhe Wozniak (Turner Falls, Mass) found the back of the net on a rebound with just 50 seconds to go in the period. Tied 2-2, the stage was set for an epic conclusion to the ECHL season. 

Worcester State would apply immediate pressure in the third, spending a significant amount of the period on the attack. With a little more than nine minutes of regulation play remaining, the Lancers found themselves on their first power play since in the first period. Wozniak was there once again, to wrist a backhander into the net to put the Lancers back on top. A light shot turned pass off the stick of senior Katie Puumala (Framingham, Mass.) opened the goal mouth up for Wozniak to finish the job. Down 3-2, Anna Maria pulled their goalie with a minute and fifty seconds left, but caught up in confusion, too many Amcats were on the ice. The penalty coming within two minutes of the end of the third period all but sealed the deal. 

For the second straight year, the Lancers took down the Amcats in the ECHA championship by a one-goal margin. It's the second championship in as many years for Worcester State. Two seasons into women's ice hockey's existence at Worcester State and two conference titles. An amazing start to what has become a stand out program at Worcester State.