Rookies Help Lead Field Hockey Past Eastern Connecticut In Overtime

Mansfield, CT --- Freshman Megan Ripke (Agawam, MA) tied the match with 7:32 left in regulation and classmate Julie O'Rourke (Worcester, MA/St Peter-Marian) scored into an open goal six minutes into sudden death overtime to lift the Worcester State field hockey team to a 3-2 triumph over Eastern Connecticut State Saturday afternoon at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

The conference win was the first of the year for Worcester State (3-13, 1-9 LEC), which defeated Eastern (5-11, 2-8 LEC) for the fourth straight and tenth time in the last 11 meetings.

WSU also snapped a nine-game winless skien. They last beat Becker 4-2 exactly one month ago today on September 20.

Eastern Connecticut led twice in the match and held a 2-1 halftime edge before the Lancers gained the equalizer when Ripke blasted in a shot which was initiated on a penalty corner.

In overtime, senior Ally Valencia (Foxboro, MA) found the seam in the Eastern defense from behind midfield and threaded  a long pass straight up the middle. O'Rourke reached the ball at the same time as Warrior sophomore goalie Olivia Mullen (Bethel, CT), who came off her mark in an attempt to clear. The ball dribbled behind the fallen netminder and O'Rourke righted herself and steered it into an open net.

Eastern outshot Worcester, 16-8, but Lancer senior goalie Rebecca Mullen (Peabody, MA) made four kick saves in the second half and in overtime – several coming on hard drives by Eastern Connecticut fourth-year Hannah Collier (Watertown, CT). Mullen finished with eight saves for Worcester State and Mullen collected three for the Warriors.

Collier's third goal of the season on a drive from the right inside circle off a penalty corner from junior Finley Ahearn (Wallingford, CT) gave the Warriors a lead in the ninth minute and after sophomore Katelyn Abber (Dedham, MA) countered for Worcester ten minutes later, freshman Hannah Keiser's (Danbury, CT) fourth goal of  2012 put Eastern back on top five minutes before the half.

Eastern visits Regis College (MA) in a non-conference match Thursday.

Full Release Courtesy of Eastern Connecticut Sports Information