WORCESTER, Mass. - The Plymouth State University field hockey team continued its winning ways Saturday afternoon with a 3-1 Little East Conference victory over Worcester State College at Coughlin Field.

            The Panthers won for the fifth straight game and eighth time in their last nine outings, improving to 9-5 overall and 8-2 in conference play.  PSU is in second place in the LEC, one game behind Keene State with one week to play.  The loss dealt a blow to Worcester State's playoff homes, dropping the Lancers to 7-10 overall and 3-7 in the LEC.

            Plymouth State opened the scoring less than 10 minutes into the game when senior co-captain Rachel Kirschner (Burlington, Conn.) scored off a penalty corner, with junior Ashley Gutowski (Conway, N.H.) credited with the assist.   Worcester State tied the game up at 1-1 when junior Ginelle Blais (Marlboro, Mass.) found freshman Angela Johnson (Ashby, Mass.) who rocketed a shot home with 10:51 left in the first half.

            Plymouth State answered right back two minutes later when sophomore Kerry D'Ambroise (Lowell, Mass.) cleaned up a scrum in front of the net to put the visitors up, 2-1, at the break.

            The Panthers increased their lead to 3-1 midway though the second half when Kirschner scored her second of the game with a shot that Lancer keeper Erin MacDonald (Dedham, Mass.) got a piece of but it trickled into the net.

            PSU senior net minder Leah Curtin (Londonderry, N.H.) earned the victory, making two saves, while MacDonald made nine saves on the afternoon for the Lancers.

            Plymouth State wraps up the regular season with two games this week, a non-conference affair Tuesday at Springfield (6:00 p.m.) and a home LEC contest Saturday against Bridgewater State.  Worcester State returns to action Tuesday at Becker College.

(Courtesy of Worcester State Sports Information)

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