WORCESTER, Mass. -- A tip-off that the Eastern Connecticut State University field hockey team could be in for a long day against Little East Conference leader Worcester State University Friday came in the comparable results between the two teams against Western Connecticut State University. Eleven days after the Lancers trounced the Colonials, 7-1, the Warriors struggled mightily against Western, falling behind by two goals before rallying to finally subdue the Colonials in overtime this past Wednesday at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

Friday at Couglin Field, Worcester State (8-2, 6-0 LEC)  scored twice in the first 13 minutes and eased to its sixth LEC victory without a loss, 5-0, over the Warriors (3-6, 3-4 LEC). 

The win is the sixth straight overall this year for Worcester, which has outscored its opponent 33-3 in conference play. Eastern had a two-game winning streak ended and was shut out for the fourth time in its last six games in losing its fifth road game in six tries this season.

Eastern had shut out Worcester, 1-0, a year ago and had taken two of the last three in the series.

Worcester, upset as the No. 2 seed in the first round of last year's LEC playoffs, scored the only goal it would need 63 seconds into play on Jess Wilding's third goal of the season. Olivia Antonelli followed by scoring her sixth and seventh goals of the season later in the half to push the Lancers' lead to 3-0 at halftime.

Conference points leader Michaila Parent (9 goals) had all four of her shots saved by Eastern senior goalie Maddie LaRusso (Enfield) but set up Antonelli's first-half goals with her ninth and tenth assists of the season on crossing passes.

LaRusso finished with a season-high 12 saves, and sophomore defender Amy Smith (Trumbull) made three defensive saves. The Lancers outshot the Warriors, 21-8 and earned 13 of the game's 20 penalty corners. Kathryn Salemme made seven saves for her first full shutout of the season.

Eastern visits Johnson & Wales University in a non-conference match Tuesday at 7 p.m.