WORCESTER -- Arie Lang (West Hartford, CT) amassed five points, Lauren Simonian (Farmington, CT) collected her first two goals of her career and Chloe Luongo (Amherst, NH) and Maggie Usdan (Rumson, NJ) also notched their first career goals as host WPI erupted for a 7-1 victory over Smith in a NEWMAC field hockey contest played Tuesday evening on H. Carr Field.
 
The win improves the Engineers to 6-7 overall and 5-2 in conference play.  The triumph secured a NEWMAC Tournament berth for WPI and gives the Crimson and Gray the inside track to a home game in the quarterfinal round two weeks from tonight.  Smith slips to 7-8 on the season and 4-3 in NEWMAC action.    
 
Luongo got the hosts off to a fast start just 5:01 into the matchup when she tipped in a spin pass from Abbey Powers (Halifax, MA).  The Crimson and Gray capped a strong first quarter that they outshot the Pioneers 8-1 when Lang sent a pass from the right side that was tapped in by Simonian with 1:25 to go in the session.
 
WPI doubled its advantage with goals on the only shots by either team in the second frame.  Lang found herself with a shot right in front of the goalie and blasted it off the Smith netminder for her fifth tally of the season at 18:26. Usdan punctuated the strong first half Engineer showing when she collected a cross from Powers that had deflected off a Smith defender and belted in a shot for a marker with just 2:47 to go before intermission.
 
The Engineers struck for two more tallies just 3:19 apart late in the third quarter.  Samantha Robison (Wrentham, MA) notched her second goal of the season at 40:01 when she rebounded a Simonian shot that had deflected off a Smith player.  Simonian added her second marker of the night at 43:20 after she knocked home a feed from Leah Uglevich (Maynard, MA).
 
Lang collected her second goal midway through the final quarter when she blasted a shot from the top of the circle at 52:50 for her second tally of the game and 13th of her career. 
 
Smith broke up the shutout with an impressive marker with 2:39 to go as Laura Dreher (Durham, NH) took it up the center and popped it over the WPI keeper.
 
Ella Moreau (Huntington, MA) was credited with one stop in net for the Engineers while Smith's Abby Halpin (Pine Bush, NY) made nine saves on the night. 
 
The host held a 18-4 edge in shots and doubled up the Pioneers in penalty corners 10-5.
 
WPI closes out a brief two-game homestand on Thursday, welcoming nationally-ranked Amherst to H. Carr Field for a 6:30pm contest.  Smith embarks upon a three-game, regular season-ending homestand on Saturday, hosting Springfield at 1pm.