Pini Scores Game-Winning Goal in OT to Upset UMass Dartmouth in Quarterfinals

DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Worcester State University junior Meghan Pini (Natick, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal three minutes, 45 seconds into overtime as the Lancers upset the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, 2-1, in the quarterfinals of the 2015 Little East Conference Field Hockey Championship tournament Tuesday evening at Cressy Field.

Seventh-seeded Worcester State will advance to the semifinals for the first time since 2006 and face the third-seeded Keene State College Thursday in Keene, N.H..

The Lancers created the ultimate rush along the left flank. Senior Julie O'Rourke (Worcester, Mass.) fired a shot from the left of the apron that was deflected by Pini inside the far corner of the net to cap the dramatic victory. It was Pini's first goal of the season.

UMass Dartmouth dominated the scoresheet, holding a 24-4 advantage in shots and a 14-3 lead in penalty corners. However, the Corsairs were unable to solve sophomore Kathryn Salemme (Boxboro, Mass.), who registered a season-high 12 saves. Salemme was under consistent pressure throughout the night, recording seven stops in the second stanza to preserve the 1-1 stalemate.

UMass Dartmouth nearly jumped out to an early advantage in the 10th minute of action, when sophomore Delaney Burns (Wayne, N.J.) intercepted a clearing pass and broke in all alone. Unfortunately, Salemme was able to wait out Burns and shut down the attempt with her right pad.

Worcester State cracked the scoring column in the 29th minute as senior Erika Lepkowski (Baldwinville, Mass.) capitalized on a fail clearing attempt. Lepkowski dangled into the middle of the crease and trickled her attempt through a cloud of Corsair defenders into the far, lower corner of the cage. It was her 10th marker of the season.

The Corsairs converted a penalty corner opportunity with 29 seconds remaining in the first half to even the ledger.  Ali Ladue inserted the penalty corner to the top of the apron, where Jill Levrault ticketed her team-leading 11th goal into the back of the cage.

Sophomore Allison Burke (Franklin, Mass.) played all 73 minutes, 45 seconds in net for the Corsairs, making two stops.

Release Courtesy of UMass Dartmouth Sports Information