WORCESTER -- Arie Lang's (West Hartford, CT) goal early in the second half off an assist from Emily Sollecito (Bedford, MA) stood up as the only marker of the game to propel third-seeded and host WPI to a hard-earned 1-0 shutout over sixth-seeded Springfield in a NEWMAC Tournament quarterfinal contest played Tuesday evening on H. Carr Field at Alumni Stadium.
 
The victory improved WPI to 12-6 on the season and advances the Engineers to a fifth straight NEWMAC semifinal, including the fourth consecutive under fourth-year head coach Kim Cosenza.  The last five quarterfinal triumphs have all been by shutout for the Crimson and Gray, which has now gone 361 minutes and 52 seconds without allowing a goal in a NEWMAC Tournament since MIT scored late in the second half in 2018.   

The Crimson and Gray will travel to second-seeded MIT on Thursday for a 6pm semifinal.  Springfield, which had ended the regular season with three straight wins to snag a tournament berth, concludes its season with an 11-8 mark.
 
In the first quarter, WPI's offense took control of the game, firing off five shots, three of which were on target, and earning three penalty corners. Meanwhile, Springfield struggled to create scoring chances, ultimately leaving both sides of the scoreboard untouched for the first 15 minutes of play.
 
During the second stanza, WPI maintained a slight edge in shots, 3-2, with Springfield managing to break through the Engineers' defense for two solid attempts on goal. The Pride earned their first corner, with Emma McLaughlin (Norwalk, CT) taking a promising shot that was skillfully saved by WPI goalkeeper Ella Moreau (Huntington, MA).
 
WPI returned from the break with a determined drive to get on the scoreboard. Just moments after intermission, Sollecito took a self-start, maneuvered around a defender, and launched a powerful shot toward the net. Lang was perfectly positioned to redirect it in, notching her seventh goal of the season at 31:01.
 
Early in the fourth quarter, Chloe Luongo (Amherst, NH) made a strong drive up the field for the Crimson and Gray and aimed a shot on goal, but Springfield defender Claire Munkacsi (Gorham, ME) made a crucial defensive save to keep the Pride within a goal.
 
The Pride sparked a burst of offensive energy, earning two penalty corners and three shots within a four-minute stretch. In a final push, Springfield pulled goalkeeper Kaitlyn Parent (Glastonbury, CT) at 56:50, but could only muster a penalty with the extra field player.
 
Moreau recorded three saves in goal for the hosts, while Parent knocked away six shots during her time in net for the Pride.  For the game, WPI held a 17-5 advantage in shots and 9-4 bulge in corners.   Lang paced all players with four shots while Eve Martineau (Greene, ME) and Sollecito each chipped in with three. McLaughlin topped Springfield with a pair of shots.

Recap Written by WPI Sports Information Student Assistant Maya Vartabedian '24 '25