WORCESTER, Mass., -- Molly Cutting (Auburn, MA) collected a goal and an assist as the Worcester State field hockey team rallied from a 1-0 deficit to upend visiting WPI in a non-conference field hockey match-up played Thursday evening on John Coughlin Memorial Field. 

With the result, the Lancers push above the .500 mark with a 4-3 record while the Engineers slip 3-5 on the season. 

Following a scoreless first quarter that saw the hosts hold a 5-3 edge in shots, it was WPI that opened the scoring 4:52 into the second stanza when the Crimson and Gray turned a penalty corner into shots from Lauren Meinhold (Boxboro, MA) and Eliza Dutson (Woodstock, CT) that led a penalty stroke bring awarded.   Dutson launched a perfectly placed ball just under the crossbar of the Lancer net. This marked Dutson's fourth goal of the season and 21st of her career.  The junior now has three successful strokes this season and seven over her first two seasons on Boynton Hill. 

The Lancers evened the contest on goal, also following a corner.  Cutting delivered her fourth goal of the season at 26:40 to forge a 1-1 tie going into the half.  Worcester State seized the advantage 57 seconds into the third quarter when Cutting drilled a hard shot from above the 20-yard line, finding Zoe Athanasopoulos (Hopedale, MA) in front of the net. Athanasopoulos redirected the ball into the net for her third marker of 2022. 

WPI had the better of the action in the fourth quarter, outshooting the hosts 8-3 and drawing six of the frame's seven penalty corners, but were unable to put in the equalizer.  The Engineers got a penalty stroke midway through the final frame but it was save edby WSU netminder Madison Ferrara (Somerset, MA) and the hosts withstood four additional corners and six more shots the rest of the way to secure the win.  

Ferrara notched a career-best 14 stops while WPI goalkeeper Nini Acquista (Longmeadow, MA) turned away eight shots for the Engineers.  For the game, the guests held 21-13 edge in shots and a hearty 16-3 advantage in corners. 

Both teams are back in action with conference contests on Saturday.  The Lancers travel to Fitchburg State in a 4pm Little East Conference tilt, while WPI travels to Mount Holyoke for a noon NEWMAC affair. 

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