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MASCAC
Salem State Captures 2008 MASCAC Field Hockey Championship With 4-3 Triumph Over Framingham State
Nov 1, 2008

Courtesy Salem State Sports Information

The Lady Vikings concluded their regular season schedule in grand fashion by recording a victory on the final play of the match to defeat Framingham State College, 4-3, and capture the 2008 Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference Championship at Alumni Field.

The Lady Vikings - who are making their third straight playoff appearance, finished the LEC regular season slate in a four-way tie for fourth place. USM was determined the No. 4 seed based on a tie-breaker formula.

Freshman midfielder Kaitlyn Aronian provided the final heriocs for the Lady Vikings when she on-timed a perfect placed pass from freshman defender Nicole Roy into the near post corner to seal the dramatic come-from-behind win.

With the victory over the Rams, SSC (9-7 overall; 6-5 LEC; 4-1 in the MASCAC) captures the program's first MASCAC championship since 1999 and its 10th since conference play began in 1976.

Framingham (10-8 overall; 4-7 LEC; 2-4 MASCAC) jumped out to a 1-0 lead when Kali Barrett scored off an assist from Lisa Connors in the 19th minute of play. Senior defender Julie Brooks tied the contest after being set up by sophomore Katie LaPrad with just 23.1 seconds to go before intermission.

The second half featured 14 penalty corner attempts, including seven for each side, with the Rams edging ahead, 2-1, on an Ashley Blinn goal in the 39th minute. However, FSC's lead was short-lived after sophomore Megan Closson - off a penalty corner pass from Grace Ghioto - one-timed a sharp ground ball in to the far right corner.

Once again, the Rams regained the lead 10 minutes later when Kristen Sacco scored to make it 3-2. With the clock quickly winding down, SSC put together a final attach that would push the Lady Vikings to the land of victory. First LaPrad would find the back of the FSC cage in the 60th minute and then Aronian would decide it with "no-time-left-on-the-clock" heroics.

Sophomore goalkeeper Jessica McKenna stoped three shots of the Lady Vikings while Framingham State netminder Allesha Kenyon made two saves.