Box Score DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Junior Jill Levrault (Somerset, Mass.) registered a pair of goals to lead third-seeded University of Massachusetts Dartmouth to a 3-1 victory over sixth-seeded Worcester State University this evening in the Quarterfinal Round of the 2014 Little East Conference Field Hockey Championship.
The Corsairs (11-10), who were defeated earlier this season by the Lancers (10-9), advanced to the semifinals of the conference tournament for the seventh straight season. UMass Dartmouth will square off against seventh-seeded University of Southern Maine, who upset No. 2 Plymouth State University, 4-1, earlier this afternoon. An official game time will be announced Wednesday morning by the conference office.
The Corsairs quickly built themselves an insurmountable lead—scoring two markers within a span of 58 seconds—to provide the winning margin. UMass Dartmouth cracked the scoring column in the 12th minute, converting a penalty corner opportunity. Sophomore Michaela Carrier (Richmond, R.I.) inserted the corner to the top of the arc, where junior Emily Anderson (Medway, Mass.) ripped a shot towards the cage. Sophomore Hunter Carden (Branford, Conn.) deflected the attempt to the left post, where Levrault deposited the marker into the empty goal.
Less than a minute later, the Corsairs doubled their advantage as Levrault tallied her second goal of the contest and 14th of the campaign. She was able to create some distance by dribbling through the visitors' defensive unit and fired a shot inside the left post.
UMass Dartmouth continued to apply the offensive pressure, and the effort was rewarded in the final minute of the first half. Anderson inserted a penalty corner to the top of the arc, where senior Chelsey Campbell (Barre, Mass.) powered her second marker of the campaign past the Worcester State netminder to enter the intermission leading 3-0.
The Lancers would not go quietly as the visitors trimmed their deficit in the 45th minute. Senior Molly Kilday (Westford, Mass.) received a feed from junior Taylor Ledwith (Springfield, Mass.) during a scramble in the crease and recorded her third goal of the season.
Worcester State nearly whittled its deficit to one goal, when junior Julie O'Rourke (Worcester, Mass.) slid an attempt just past the far, left post in the 60th minute. Facing elimination and searching for some offense, the Lancers removed their goalkeeper in exchange for an extra attacker for the final eight minutes, 15 seconds of regulation.
Sophomore Elizabeth St. Germaine (Wareham, Mass.) made one save to earn the victory, while her counterpart, freshman Kathryn Salemme (Boxboro, Mass.) recorded four stops in 61 minutes, 45 seconds of action.
UMass Dartmouth held a 10-6 advantage in shots, while doubling up Worcester State in penalty corners, 8-4.
