GORHAM, Maine –  With the game tied up at 1-1, junior Brooke Carson (Bryant Pond, Maine/Oxford Hills) scored the first of three fourth quarter goals to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 4-1 win over the Worcester State University Lancers in a Little East Conference field hockey game Wednesday night at Hannaford Field. 
 
The win is the first for the Huskies over Worcester State in four games. Prior to tonight's win, the Lancers had won the last three meetings consecutively, including a 3-2 win on October 6, 2021.  Facing each other for the 25^th time in series history, Southern Maine now leads the series 13-12. 
 
The Records:
Worcester State (7-4, 4-1 LEC)
Southern Maine (8-4, 6-0 LEC)
 
How It Happened:

• In a back and forth opening few minutes, the Lancers broke through early when Zoe Athanasopoulos collected her own rebound and found the back of the net in the eighth minute.  The goal was Athanasopoulos' seventh of the season.
• Southern Maine came back to tied the score up minutes later when sophomore Izzy Hurlburt (Alfred, Maine/Massabesic) linked up with sophomore Ginny Twitchell (Turner, Maine/Leavitt) in the 10^th minute for the equalizer.  The goal is Hurlburt's first of the season.
• The score remained tied through the half.  Southern Maine had six shots in the second quarter to the Lancers' three, but neither team was able to find a go-ahead goal before the half.  WSU goalkeeper Madison Ferrera made four of her 14 saves in the second.
• Both teams were scoreless in the third.  USM dominated possession and play outshooting WSU 4-0 in the quarter but was unable to put the ball past Ferrerra, setting up a tense fourth quarter.
• The Huskies' wasted little time in the fourth scoring the go-ahead goal.  Carson tipped in the eventual game-winner after a strong individual effort from senior captain Samantha Ellis (New Vineyard, Maine/Mt. Blue) to get her the ball in the circle in the 47^th minute.
• The Huskies continued to pressure and went up 3-1 in the 50^th minute on a goal from Huskies' leading scorer sophomore Sage Drinkwater (Steep Falls, Maine/Bonny Eagle) before putting the game out of reach in the 52^nd minute on a goal from sophomore Abigail Chartier (Lewiston, Maine).  Chartier hit a reverse shot into the goal after Husky junior Hannah Banks (Belfast, Maine) carried the ball up the field, beat several defenders and laid off the ball to Chartier.
• WSU had several chances late for a second goal, including a shot from Molly Cutting that richocheted off the post in the 55^th minute and a one-on-one opportunity from Grace Adams in the 58^th, but Husky senior goalkeeper Julianna Kiklis (York, Maine) made a strong kick save to keep the Lancers off the board.

 
The Goalkeepers:
SM, Julianna Kiklis (7-3) 60:00, 1 GA, 8 Saves
WSU, Madison Ferrera (6-3), 60:00, 4 GA, 14 saves
 
Inside The Statistics:

•  Drinkwater's goal gives her a team-leading 10 on the season and 21 goals in her career (34 games). With her seven career assists, the Huskies' sophomore has 49 career points.  She is tied for 20^th in career goals, and is 22^nd in career points.
• Caron's goal is her sixth of the season and her second game-winning goal of 2022.  She has 17 goals and four assists for 38 points.  Of her 17 career goals, Carson has six game-winning goals for the Huskies.
• Cummings' defensive save is her second of the season, and the fourth of her career.
• USM has outscored its Little East Conference opponents by a margin of 26-3.  Twelve different players have contributed to goals this season for the Huskies.  

 
Up Next:
The Huskies are on the road Saturday (12:00 pm) at Castleton University in a Little East Conference match up. After Castleton, USM will be at home for its next three contests, including a Tuesday (7:00 pm) game against LEC opponent Framingham State.