Vikings Hold Off Rams

SALEM, Mass. -- Allison Couillard (Tewksbury, Mass.) and Marissa Laganas (Beverly, Mass.) each scored second half goals as Salem State held on to win 2-0 over Framingham State in a Little East field hockey match Saturday at Alumni Field. The Vikings improve to 4-3 and 2-1 in the Little East. The Rams dip to 2-3 and 0-3 in conference.

The game was scoreless after the first 30 minutes, despite Salem State dominating possession. The Vikings compiled 11 shots in the first half while holding the Rams without a shot on net. Salem State had  11 corners to none for Framingham State, but keeper Grace Pushor (Old Town, Maine) denied all eight attempts on goal by Salem State to keep the game 0-0 at the half.

Couillard broke the stalemate with her third goal of the season coming in the 37th minute. The senior rifled a shot past Pushor's glove-side for a 1-0 lead. Framingham State picked up the tempo on offense in the third period, but goalie Kelli McCarthy (Foxborough, Mass.), denied the Rams' best scoring opportunity with back-to-back saves late in the quarter.

Marissa Laganas (Beverly, Mass.) gave Salem State some breathing room when she took advantage of a failed clear by Framingham State and turned it into a goal and a 2-0 lead in the 51st minute. Salem State's defense held firm the rest of the way to secure the 2-0 shutout win.

McCarthy finished with five saves in the victory. Pushor stopped 14 shots for Framingham State, which was outshot 19-5 for the game.