Worcester, MA- After a second half shutout on Tuesday over Salem State, the Worcester State Women's Lacrosse team (10-8, 4-2) makes the trip to Westfield State (10-7, 5-1) for a MASCAC Semi Final rematch. Last year the Lancers fell to Westfield 21-10 and earlier this season Worcester was again unable to clip the Owls wings, but tonight's game has Worcester primed for the upset and their first victory in nearly a decade, with the last coming in 2014, to Westfield in that years MASCAC Semifinal battle. 

Final

Worcester State: 10

Westfield State: 22

How it Happened:

Westfield State would open the scoring two and half minutes into the game to start the action but just two minutes later the Lancers would respond as sophomore Shannon Donahue (Dennis, MA) would equalize the score. A Westfield answering goal would come just a minute later but Donahue would score her quick second of the game, this time off a perfect pass from Junior Abigail Wing (Griswold, CT) to again settle the score. The Owls would again claim the lead off a free position shot before each team's defense would settle in for the next three minutes before a yellow card of the Lancers would give the Owls the man advantage. Westfield would not hesitate, winning a free position attempt and a goal to grab a 4-2 lead. Just under 30 seconds later the Owls would push their lead to three. With just four second left in the quarter the Lancer defense would be unable to hold off the Owls pressure as they took a 6-2 lead into the second quarter.

The second quarter would see the Lancers record goal number three as Wing would upgrade from an assist to a goal, but just 45 seconds later Westfield would extend the lead back to four with a 7-3 score and followed up 30 seconds later with goal number 8. It would take just another two minutes for Worcester to cut the lead back down to four as first year Meghan Bowen would record a free position goal in front of her hometown crowd of Westfield. The two teams would have a defensive battle back and forth for the next six minutes before Westfield would sneak in another goal for number nine on the evening. The Owls would record goal number 10 with four minutes to go but sophomore Mckayla Fisher (Peabody, MA) would quickly respond with goal number five for Worcester after charging off the draw control for the possession and goal. The Owls would add three goals in the last three minutes of the half to take a 13-5 lead into halftime. 

Third quarter action would open with 1-and-1 goals from the Owls and Lancers as Westfield would open the scoring but Wing would record her second of the game to take the score to 14-6. Westfield would answer back with two quick goals to push the lead to a 10 goal difference but about five minutes into the new quarter Junior Hannah Erickson (Dubstable, MA) would grab goal seven off a perfectly placed pass from first year Madigan Kelley (Bourne, MA). Sophomore Molly Witkowski (Greenville, NY) would make it 16-8 and the score would quickly jump to 16-9 as Wing would send another goal, this time with Fisher in the assist, forcing an Owls timeouts in an attempt to slow down the Lancer surge. The timeout would appear to have little impact for Westfield as junior Ashley Hurley (Feeding Hills, MA) would cut the Owls lead to six moments later off another perfect dish from Fisher. With just over a minute remaining in the quarter Westfield would finally again find the scoring sheet to regain a seven point lead in the game and with just a second left in the quarter they would push the lead to 18-10.

It would take nearly four minutes into the fourth quarter before either team would find the back of the net as Westfield would finally find a gap for number 19. Another three minutes would click by before the Lancer defense would show another chunk in the armour as the Owls would record goal number 20 and 21. With just two minutes remaining in regulation Westfield would record their 22nd goal. Worcester would attempt to answer in the final minutes but the Owls would hold on for a 22-10 victory. 

Junior Olivia LaValle (Peabody, MA) would record 11 saves on the night, while Wing would lead the night with three goals and an assist.