Ice Hockey Advances to MASCAC Semifinals In 4-1 Win Over Fitchburg State

Telegram & Gazette Article | Sentinel & Enterprise Article

Fitchburg, MA --- Sophomore Derek Serbon (Crown Point, IN) snapped a 1-1 tie with the game-winning goal at the 7:28 mark in the second period as fifth-seeded Worcester State would go on to defeat #4 Fitchburg State this evening in the MASCAC Ice Hockey Tournament Quarterfinals at the Wallace Civic Center.

With the win the Lancers improve to 9-13-3 overall and snap a six-game winless streak in the postseason that lasted 35 years. The last triumph for the Blue and Gold came during in the 1976-77 ECAC Division III Tournament title game in a 7-5 victory over Framingham State.

WSU also avenges last years 3-0 MASCAC Quarterfinal setback against the Falcons who see their season end at 9-13-4. Worcester State will play top-seed Plymouth State on Tuesday at 6 PM in the MASCAC Tournament Semifinals.

The visitors claimed the early 1-0 lead on an unassisted goal at the 11:04 mark by senior Nick Asterito (Philadelphia, PA) who found a hole in the Fitchburg State defense and fired his sixth marker of the season past fourth-year netminder Bobby Leiser (Monroe, NY).

FSU knotted the game up 5:12 into the second period when junior Curtis Nikitas (Leominster, MA) registered his fourth tally of the season on assists from freshman Carlo DiPiazza (Ridgewood, NJ) and senior Spencer Syvertson (Wasilla, AK).

But Serbon would help the Lancers respond a little more than two minutes later as he cleaned up a shot by sophomore Tyson Cox (Boise, ID) for his eighth goal of the year and 30th career point.

The Falcons would kill three consecutive penalties into the third period and keep the score within one goal for the next 26 minutes of play until Worcester State took advantage of a breakaway opportunity with 14:48 on the clock.

With freshman Vinny Bohn (Spring Hill, FL) coming out of the penalty box, he would shoot up the ice past the Fitchburg State back line on a pass on the WSU blue line from Asterito and notched his first collegiate tally.

In the final two minutes of the contest, Fitchburg State would opt to pull their goalie for the extra attacker with four on four on the ice, but the move backfired as D'Orazio potted an empty-netter for his eighth goal of the year.

Senior Bryan Kalczynski (Tonawanda, NY) was sensational for the Blue and Gold stopping 31 of the 32 shots he saw on net while Leiser collected 22 saves.

Fitchburg State led in shots, 32-26, and went 0-for-3 with the extra man advantage. Worcester State was 1-for-4 with D'Orazio's goal coming off a power play.