Conway’s Hat Trick Leads Lancers Past Golden Bears

WORCESTER, Mass. – Junior captain Clare Conway (Billerica, Mass.) scored the second hat trick in Worcester State women's ice hockey history and the Lancers came from behind to defeat Western New England 3-2 on Friday night at Fidelity Bank Worcester Ice Center.

Conway scored the game-tying goal at 13:48 of the third period and the game-winning goal with just fifty-one seconds remaining to help Worcester earn the victory.

The winner was a beautiful wrist shot to the glove side set up on a great feed by sophomore Sydney Vautour (South Hamilton, Mass.).

Now with a team-high five goals and 7 points on the season, Conway gave the Lancers the lead with the only goal of the second period when she tipped home a shot from co-captain Kylian Kelly (Shrewsbury, Mass.).

Worcester took a 1-0 lead to the third, but the Golden Bears tied the game just thirty-four seconds into the frame on a power-play goal by Emma Birmingham (Enfield, Conn.). The visitors grabbed the lead midway through the period when Alexa Paoli (Steamboat Springs, Col.) beat Lancer junior Amber Lee (Nashua, N.H.) for her first goal of the year.

Junior Katie Puumala (Framingham, Mass.) set up the game-tying goal, finding Conway to earn her fourth assist of the season.

Lee made 33 saves in the victory, improving to 3-2 on the season. Sierra Dennis (Arvada, Colo.) made 46 saves in defeat for WNE.

The two teams will meet up again tomorrow night in Springfield for the second half of a home and home. Puck drop for that game will be at 7:00 PM at Olympia Ice Center.