Box Score GORHAM, Maine – Senior Jessica Boghosian (Belgrade, Maine/Messalonskee) scored on a penalty shot with less than nine minutes remaining in regulation to lift the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a key 2-1 win over the Worcester State University Lancers in a Little East Conference field hockey game Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field.
Earning its second straight win of the season, Southern Maine improving its overall record to 8-11 and 4-6 in the Little East. The win keeps Southern Maine in the hunt for the eighth and final LEC playoff spot as the Huskies are in a three-way tie at 4-6 with Western Connecticut and Bridgewater State. Worcester State suffers its second consecutive loss to drop to 9-7 overall and 5-5 in the Little East.
Despite being outshot and out-cornered in the opening stanza, USM took a 1-0 lead over the Lancers late in the first half. Southern Maine junior Jennifer Poulin (Winslow, Maine) scored her third goal of the season in the 29th minute redirecting a pass from sophomore Tayla Smedberg (Oxford, Maine/Oxford Hills).
Applying steady pressure to the Huskies' defense, the Lancers rallied to tie the score just 10 minutes into the second half. Sophomore Jolane Thibault (Douglas, Mass.) drove in her second goal of the season on a pretty give-and-go play in the circle with senior forward Taylor Ledwith (Springfield, Mass./Cathedral).
Tied at 1-1, Worcester State continued to force the action in the Huskies' defensive third and had several strong attempts on goal, including a pair of point blank near post attempts from senior Erika Lepkowski (Baldwinville, Mass./Narragansett) during two of the Lancers six second half penalty corners. The Lancers, however, were unable to break USM junior Amanda Kasbohm (York, Maine) for the go-ahead goal as the Huskies' goalkeeper made seven second half saves.
The Huskies' were awarded the decisive penalty shot in the 62nd minute after an infraction on a WSU defender was called in the circle. With the game tied, Boghosian stepped to the line and laced a strong shot to the left side of the cage for the win. Thibault had a pair of chances stopped by Kasbohm in the closing minutes, but each was turned away as the Huskies held for the win.
Kasbohm finished with 13 saves to earn the win for the Huskies, while sophomore Kathryn Salemme (Boxboro, Mass./Acton-Boxboro) made five saves in the loss. WSU outshot USM 16-9 and had a 13-5 advantage in penalty corners.
Southern Maine returns to action on Saturday (1:30 p.m.) at Fitchburg State in its final regular season contest of the year in an LEC match up. Worcester State hosts Westfield State on Saturday (2:00 p.m.) in an LEC game.
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