Worcester, MA- The Worcester State Lancers (10-13-1, 8-2-1) headed across town to Buffone rink tonight to take on the Anna Maria AMCATS (8-12-4, 5-4-2) in the final game of the ECHA regular season. Worcester State clinched the first seed in the tournament with their 2-0 victory over Anna Maria last night, and look to put the exclamation on the season with a sweep in the final weekend of the regular season. 

Final

Worcester State: 6

Anna Maria College: 2

How it Happened:

The game kicked off with fast action with a faceoff between the Lancers senior Amy MacGlashing (Marlborough, MA) and the AMCATS junior Kourtney Mielke (Hutchinson, MN) which was won by the Lancers and quickly followed up by a shot on goal by senior Ellen Cook (Beckett, MA) which was knocked away by graduate student Sam Dahill (Littleton, MA). Faceoffs have been a successful point for Worcester versus Anna Maria at Buffone, having recorded a goal in their first outing of the season versus the AMCATs off a quick shot from the faceoff. Worcester, with control on a breakaway, was able to pop in a goal over Dahill off of junior Kiersten Erickson (Broomfield, CO) to record the opening goal. Anna Maria would try to retaliate but first year Lana Pacific (Marlborough, MA) was able to keep the puck out of the net with some stellar skating and stick work. Graduate student Katie Puumala (Framingham, MA) sent a shot on goal which was knocked away by Dahill but recovered by first year Olivia Fehl (Sergeant Bluff, IA) who crossed it over to senior Layna Pereiro (Chicago, Ill) to gain another point for the Lancers. The score would sit at 2-0 with six minutes left in the first period. The AMCATS junior Olympia Meyers (Grimsby, ON) would attempt to find a goal but her attempt was blocked by first year Rebekah Garbarino (Holly Springs, NC). After a back and forth remainder of the period, the score would sit at 2-0 into the first intermission.

The start of the second period saw AMCATS playing a very offensive game leading the Lancers defense to really work as a team to prevent any success on their attack. Puumala would attempt to add another goal for the Lancers but Dahill would again make the stop for Anna Maria. Anna Maria would finally find success when senior Abigail Vigliotte (Medford, MA) would corral the pass from sophomore Tessa Henry (Milestone, SK) able to score a goal with a 5 on 3 game after Worcester State was down two skaters on penalties to cut the Lancers lead to a single goal.  Worcester would respond not long after with a 2 on 1 as senior Cassidhe Wozniak (Turners Falls, MA) recorded another goal for the Lancers. A penalty on Anna Maria's Vigliotte led to a shot on goal by senior Sydney Vautour (Hamilton, MA) saved by Dahill. A following opportunity by sophomore Jennarae Bateman (Wyoming, MINN) is deflected by Dahill into sophomore Caroline Gates (Natick, MA) stick with her able to grasp another goal for the Lancers which would hold until the end of the period sending Worcester to the locker room with a 4-1 lead heading into the final 20 minutes of regulation on the season. 

It was a slower start in the third period but a scramble in front of the net  would find Lancers first year Madelyn Franta (Superior, WI) able to contain the puck and snag a goal with 15 minutes left in the third. Anna Maria took this opportunity to make a goalie change, bringing in first year Megan Tegethoff (Sioux Falls, SD). As the AMCATS struggled to keep the Lancers from scoring a won draw by the Lancers leads Bateman to score yet another goal for Worcester. Anna Maria would not go down quietly as they managed to grab a second goal in the game before time expired as graduate student Samantha Rodriguez (Corona, CA) would tip the puck from junior Julia Ballinger (Newport, VT). With that final goal, the Lancers would claim the 6-2 victory on the night.

Pacific would end the night with 25 saves in a complete game of action.

The Lancers now move to (11-13-1, 9-2-1) while the AMCATS sit at (8-13-4, 5-5-2). Both teams are back in action next Friday when Worcester hosts MCLA at 4pm, and Anna Maria takes on Rivier at 7pm in the ECHA semifinal at the Fidelity Bank Ice Center.