Women's Lacrosse Bests Fitchburg State in One Love Game

WORCESTER, Mass. - The Worcester State University women's lacrosse team took down Fitchburg State University by a final score of 15-3 Thursday evening in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference action at a cold, rainy John F. Coughlin Memorial Field.

With the win, Worcester State improves to 4-2 overall on the season and 3-1 in the MASCAC. Fitchburg State falls to 1-5 overall and 1-3 in league play.

Worcester State women's lacrosse dedicated the game to the One Love Foundation, in memory of Yeardley Love. Love was a member of the women's lacrosse team at the University of Virginia and was killed by her ex-boyfriend three weeks shy of her graduation in 2010. One Love educates young people about healthy and unhealthy relationships, empowering them to identify and avoid abuse and learn how to love better. The team held a moment of silence before the game, and both teams walked a lap around the track at halftime as part of the "Yards for Yeardley" campaign. More information on the One Love Foundation can be found on their website, joinonelove.org.

The teams split the contest's first four goals evenly in the first 15 minutes. Sophomore Shea Jarvis (Auburn, Mass.) opened the scoring in the ninth minute on an unassisted tally for the Lancers, but Fitchburg answered back quickly when first-year Kasey Allain (Danvers, Mass.) found the back of the net. In the 13th minute, Abby Magnuson (Ellington, Conn.) put Worcester State back on top on an unassisted tally, before the Falcons again leveled the score, this time on a strike from sophomore Brooke Johnson (Billerica, Mass.).

Worcester State would take the lead for good two and a half minutes after Johnson's equalizer on Magnuson's second of the evening. Senior Kylie Hill (Lunenburg, Mass.) followed the goal up by scoring twice consecutively before Bridget Smestad (Branford, Conn.) found the net for her first goal of the season. Johnson would score again with 17 seconds remaining in the half to send the teams to the break with the Lancers holding a 6-3 lead. 

The second half was all Lancers, as the hosts scored nine unanswered to put the game away. Jarvis and sophomore Emily Pavoni (Granby, Mass.) each scored a pair of goals in the second half, while Sarah DesVergnes (Limerick, Maine), Lily Gendron (Lakeville, Mass.), Hill, Hannah Sledzieski (Northampton, Mass.), and Taylor Dube (Milford, Mass.) all found the back of the net once in period number two.

Despite the losing effort, Fitchburg sophomore goalkeeper Francesca Reyes (Malden, Mass.) was sharp in net, turning aside 14 Lancer shots. Senior Chloe O'Brien (Sturbridge, Mass.) made two saves in 46 minutes of action to earn the win. In relief, sophomore Savanna Rosado (Milford, Mass.) turned aside the only shot she faced in 13:48.

The teams will meet again in less than 24 hours, as the Lancers and Falcons will take the field in Fitchburg on Friday evening at 6 p.m. The game can be streamed live at MASCAC.tv.

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