Lancers Spoil Vikings' Home Opener

SALEM, Mass. – Kylie Hill (Lunenburg, Mass.), Shea Jarvis (Auburn, Mass.) and Emily Pavoni (Granby, Mass.) each scored three goals apiece to lead Worcester State to a 13-3 win over Salem State in women's lacrosse action at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon. The Lancers scored five unanswered goals to end the first half to race out to a 5-1 halftime lead and never looked back in improving to 3-0 overall and 3-0 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC). The Vikings, playing their 2021 home opener, slip to 0-2 and 0-2 in conference.

Angela Berry (Salem, Mass.) opened the scoring for Salem State, connecting on a free position shot less than two minutes into the opening half. However, Hill sparked a Worcester State run with her first goal of the contest at the 23:47 mark. Leading 3-1, Hill increased the Lancers' lead to 4-1, creating a turnover and scoring a man-up goal unopposed at 8:24 of the first. Jarvis closed the half with her first tally of the afternoon as Worcester State dominated possession of the ball, outshooting the Vikings 25-5 over the first thirty minutes.

Madison White (Salem, Mass.) trickled in a shot just nine seconds into the second half to draw Salem State to within three, but once again Worcester State answered, going on an 8-0 run, to ice the game. Jarvis and Pavoni accounted for five of the goals as the Lancers' defense held Salem State to just four second half shots.

Tara McLaughlin ((Woburn, Mass.) converted a free-position shot in the closing seconds for the Vikings making the final 13-3. Chloe O'Brien (Sturbridge, Mass.) earned the win in net, making three saves before Savanna Rosado (Milford, Mass.) relieved just over halfway through the second. Charlotte Orth (Bourne, Mass.) took the loss in goal, making 20 saves on 33 shot attempts.

Inside the Numbers

• The Lancers forced 36 turnovers and held a 48-27 margin in ground balls led by six from Hill (6) and Lauren Arbec (Fairhaven, Mass.).
• Worcester State owned a 48-9 lead in shots including a 23-4 advantage in the second half.
• Taylor Sujko (Revere, Mass.) led Salem State with six ground balls while Kirsten Bradley (Peabody, Mass.) forced three caused turnovers.
• Worcester State has now won three in a row against the Vikings, since Salem State's 11-10 win in 2017.