Worcester, MA- In the annual event of the hockey season, the Worcester State Women's Ice Hockey team (9-8, 6-2) will welcome the Rivier Raiders to a conference meeting at the DCU Center this afternoon. The Lancers will take the ice prior to the Worcester Railers game tonight as the opening act of excitement for a crucial conference game of the season. 

Final

Worcester State: 2 - Shootout Win

Rivier: 2

How it Happened:

With an exciting friday conference match up taking place at Worcester's own DCU center, home of the Worcester Railers, the Lancers looked to strike early. Within the first couple minutes of the first period, Worcester put up 4 shots, showing a strong offensive drive. Each team looked for advantage, but the Lancers continued to win faceoffs, huge for possession in each zone. At about halfway through the first, Worcester led in shots 8-4, but the Raiders surged to life, evening up the total to 9-9, each team battling for offensive opportunities. At the end of the first the shots were nearly tied with the Lancers with 11 to the Raiders 10. Worcester looked to come out strong in the start of the second.

And they certainly were in the second scoring two goals early in the new period. The first goal would be scored just over two and a half minutes into the period as senior Kiersten Erickson (Broomfield, CO) would sneak the puck past the Rivier keeper off a cross crease pass from sophomore Kaia Carlson (Denver, CO). A penalty just moments later on an aggressive play by Rivier would award the Lancers the Power play that they would score on just 10 seconds later. This time of a dish by sophomore Olivia Fehl (Sergeant Bluff, IA) from graduate student Amy MacGlashing (Marlborough, MA) and sophomore Caroline Melanson (Wakefield, MA). The Raiders would not go down quietly though as they responded with two goals of their own over the next 10 minutes to bring the game back to 2-2 draw between the rivals. A flurry of activity in the final moments of the second would find Worcester trying to grab the lead into the final intermission but the Rivier defense would hold strong to maintain the tie. Shots would again remain even in the second as Worcester would claim the edge 22-21. 

The final period of regulation would set the two squads on an intense battle to the finish with each shot and hit gaining in intensity. The aggressiveness was high on both ends of the ice as each team looked for the needed goal to claim the win. Worcester State would have a number of chances to provide that cushion but Rivier's defense and goaltending met the challenge. With each team firing away into defensive walls, an overtime period would be needed to look to determine a winner, but OT would not be enough and istead the game was decided in shootouts as the Lancers claim the victory there 2-1 first year Emily Johns (Clinton, MA) and Carlson sending two to the back of the net for the win. 

Junior Kesley Czerniawski would claim the win on a 28 save performance for the Lancers. 

What's Next:

The Blue and Gold (9-8-1, 6-2-1) return quickly to action as they journey north to Plymouth State tomorrow in a pivotal potential top seed meeting matchup at 2pm.