Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Women's Ice Hockey team (11-13-1, 9-2-1) begin their bid for their third straight ECHA title, this year opening up tournament play by taking on 4th seeded MCLA (5-18-1, 1-10-1), who are the new additions to the conference this year. In the final year of the ECHA conference, the Lancers look to claim the bragging rights as the lone champions of the conference, before all the teams move to the newly created MASCAC Women's Ice Hockey conference next year.

Final:

Worcester State: 6

MCLA: 0

How it Happened:

The opening period saw ample Lancer offense to open up the action, with the puck rarely working its way out of the Worcester offensive third. The Lancers lines were in full throttle attack, but the Trailblazers were up to the pressure, holding off the Worcester attack. Until just over six minutes left in the period when sophomore Cailey Ryan (Acton, MA) would collect the pass from senior Anya Laxton (Holbrook, NY) and junior Kiersten Erickson (Broomfield, CO) teamwork to slip the puck past the right leg of the Trailblazers goalie Juliette Barney to claim the first goal of the game. Just seconds later, graduate student Katie Puumala (Framingham, MA) would knock in the second goal to put the Lancers up 2-0 off the quick dish of first year Caroline Melanson (Wakefield, MA) from the faceoff. While the Lancers would continue their attack for the remainder of the period, the Trailblazers locked it up on defense to see the first intermission set at 2-0.

The action would not slow down in the second period as it took the Lancers just five minutes to score goal number three from senior Amy MacGlashing (Marlborough, MA) who settled a pass from seniors Ellen Cook (Becket, MA)  and Sydney Vatour (Hamilton, MA) to make it a senior success moment for the trio. After a further four minute flurry of shots, seniors Layna Pereiro (Chicago, IL) and Cassidhe Wozniak (Turner Falls, MA) would send the puck sailing to first year Rebekah Garbarino for the fourth goal. MCLA would find some offensive momentum late in the period, sailing down the ice and lifting a tight shot onto cage, but a stellar helmet save by sophomore Kelsey Czerniawski (Chicopee, MA) would see the game remained scoreless for the Trailblazers. MCLA followed it up with a trio of shots, but Czerniawski would not let her guard down, guiding each shot away from the frame. As the final two minutes clicked down Ryan would grab goal number two on the day with assists from Melanson and first year Fiona Hatton (Homer, AK). A late surge by MCLA would see them try to crack the blanked scoreboard but the Lancers defense would hold tight, sending the game into the second intermission at 5-0.

The final period would see Worcester clinch their third ECHA Conference Championship appearance as Czerniawski would shut out MCLA with a 25 save dominant performance in the net. MacGlashing would top off the Lancers scoring on the night with her second goal and the teams sixth of the day. Aiding MacGlashing in the final goal was additional assists from Hatton and Vautour. Ryan, MacGlashing and Melanson would lead the Lancer with two points each in the game as Barney would record 60 saves in the offensive action of Worcester.

What is  Next:

Worcester State returns to action on Sunday at 4:50pm when they take on the winner of the Anna Maria/Rivier game later tonight which will be played at the Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center.