Three Student-Athletes Receive Player of the Week Awards Following First Week of Play

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Following the first week of competition, three Worcester State University student-athletes were recognized with player of the week and rookie of the week awards while two made it on the weekly honor roll, as named by the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) on Monday.

Women’s Cross Country:

Freshman Laura DelleChiaie (Haverhill, Mass.) has been named the MASCAC Rookie of the Week due to her performance at Saturday’s Jim Sheenan Invitational in Leominster, Mass. DelleChiaie placed fourth with a 5k time of 20:52 while helping the team to a first place overall finish.

Head coach, Gary Jusseaume said, "Laura's fourth place meet finish as Worcester State's top team finisher was an unexpected surprise. Laura ran a steady, even-paced race despite running off the lead pace for the first mile."

Six of the top seven finishers for the team were freshman, DelleChiaie taking the lead.

This upcoming weekend the women’s cross country team will travel to Biddeford, Maine for the University of New England Invitational and look for another regional top finish.

Football:

Senior Terrence Gibson (Rockland, Mass.) was entitled the MASCAC Special Teams Player of the Week after his shining performance at Saturday’s game against the Salve Regina University Seahawks.

Gibson totaled 187 yards on three kickoff returns, including a 97-yard touchdown run in the Lancers’ 41-28 setback to Salve Regina University. In addition, Gibson caught three passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns.

“We were really pleased with Terrence's outing,” said head coach, Brien Cullen. “We knew it was great speed and athleticism. He has been out of the game for a few years so was really nice to see him take that opening kickoff.”

Gibson’s 97-yard touchdown can be found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dcWEzFMTRto

Men’s Soccer:

Freshman Bryan Brasil (Williamsburg, Mass.) has been named the MASCAC Rookie of the week for men’s soccer after his first week of competition with the Lancers.

Brasil tallied two goals and two assists in a 1-1-1 week for Worcester State. He debuted his first collegiate goal and added an assist in the 3-1 win over Rhode Island College on opening night. He also was the only individual able to get a goal past the WPI Engineers on Sunday at the Worcester City Tournament in the 4-1 loss.

Tonight the Lancers will take on Trinity College (Conn.) in the hopes of improving their 1-1-1 record.

MASCAC Weekly Honor Roll:

Volleyball’s junior Jamika Townsend (Virginia Beach, Vir.) earned a spot on the MASCAC Volleyball’s Weekly Honor Roll, after being named to the Worcester City Tournament All-Tournament Team. Townsend notched nine kills, 19 digs, and 26 assists in a 1-1 week for the Lancers at the Worcester City Tournament. She had 13 assists and 10 digs in the 3-1 setback to Clark University and tallied four kills, 13 assists and nine digs in the 3-0 win over Becker College.

Women’s soccer’s senior Kiley Hardy (Pepperrell, Mass.) was noted on the MASCAC Women’s Soccer Weekly Honor Roll. Hardy netted a goal and an assist in a 1-1 week for the Lancers. She tallied her first goal of the season in the 3-1 setback to Wheaton College and an assist in the 5-1 win over the Rhode Island College Anchorwomen.

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