FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- The Eastern Connecticut State University field hockey team  did its part by breaking a four-game losing streak, got help from a Fitchburg State University team which shut out visiting Westfield State University, and if the Warriors receive a little more help Saturday, they will qualify for the Little East Conference playoffs for the fifth straight season.

After shutting out Framingham (3-15, 1-11 LEC)  for the seventh straight season and winning its first road match of the season, Eastern (6-9, 5-7 LEC) positioned itself for the No. 8 and final LEC playoff seed if  Worcester State University (8-3 LEC) can knock off visiting Plymouth State University (5-6 LEC) Saturday at noon. If it finishes in a tie with Plymouth, Eastern gains the No. 8 seed by virtue of its 4-3, ot home win over the Panthers  Sept. 29 (Eastern trailed 3-0 with 13 minutes left in that game).

Newcomers Morgan Sanson (Thomaston) and Sydney Collentine (New Fairfield)  scored six minutes apart in the first half Friday night – Sanson assisting on Collentine's marker – and newcomer Keira Integlia (Branford) stopped four shots over the first 61 minutes in teaming with freshman Abby Harris (Windham, NH) on the team's third shutout of the year.