GORHAM, Maine – Three different players each scored a goal to lead the University of Southern Maine Huskies to a 3-1 win over the Worcester State College Lancers in a Little East Conference field hockey game Saturday afternoon at Paula D. Hodgdon Field on the Gorham campus.

With the win Southern Maine improves its overall mark to 4-6 and creeps above .500 in the conference at 3-2. The loss was the first conference defeat of the season for the Lancers who dip to 6-2 overall and 4-1 in the LEC.

Freshman midfielder Cristina Corson (Naples, Maine/Lake Region) started off the scoring for the Huskies gathering a loose ball in front of the goal and putting it past Worcester State junior goalkeeper Erin MacDonald (Dedham, Mass.) for an early 1-0 lead in the fourth minute. Southern Maine jumped out to a 2-0 lead six minutes later when freshman forward India Lowe (Gloucester, Mass./Gloucester) finished an assist from junior midfielder Samantha Johnson (Mexico, Maine/Mt. Valley) for her team-leading sixth goal of the season in the ninth minute.

Worcester State cut its deficit to a goal in the 20th minute following a powerful unassisted strike from senior forward Ann Clark (Worcester, Mass.). The goal left the Lancers trailing 2-1 heading into the halftime break and was Clark’s team-leading seventh of the season.

Both teams played evenly in the second half, with the Lancers holding a slight 8-6 advantage in shots. Worcester State had an opportunity to score an equalizer midway through the second half when Clark raced toward the USM goal on a breakaway, but Southern Maine freshman goalkeeper Allie Hill (Cape Elizabeth, Maine/Cape Elizabeth) made a terrific diving stop to thwart Clark’s attempt.

Southern Maine tallied an insurance goal in the 61st minute for the 3-1 final as Johnson fired in a shot from the right side following a centering pass from junior midfielder Alyson Lumino (Hampden, Maine/Hampden Academy).

Hill finished the game with eight saves to earn the win in net for the Huskies, while MacDonald turned back five USM shots in the loss.

Southern Maine returns to action on Tuesday, October 3 on the road at Fitchburg State at 4 p.m. The Lancers host Bridgewater State for their next contest on Tuesday, October 3 at 7 p.m.