Worcester, Mass. – Kelli McPherson (Mansfield, Mass.) finished with a goal and a pair of assists, leading visiting Worcester State to a 3-0 win over crosstown rival Clark University in non-league field hockey action on Tuesday evening.

The win for the Lancers improves their record to 8-6 overall and they have now won two of the last three against their Worcester city rivals.

The Cougars, meanwhile, have now dropped four straight games to slip to 7-7 and have been outscored 16-1 in those contests.

McPherson, who scored her first collegiate goal against Clark in overtime to begin the 2011 season, picked up right where she left off against the Cougars, banging the back of the cage in the 16th minute off a feed from Julie O'Rourke (Worcester, Mass.).

Things stayed at 1-0 until the opening minutes of the second half when McPherson became the playmaker, finding Katelyn Abber (Dedham, Mass.) for her eighth goal of the season at 38:58.

McPherson was at it again later in the second half when she returned the favor to O'Rourke in the 52nd minute, upping the Lancer lead to 3-0.

Clark had an excellent opportunity to cut into Worcester State's advantage but Kelly Hart (Oak Park, Ill.) saw her shot hit the far right post at 58:15.

Allison Romano (East Bridgewater, Mass.) made six saves for the Lancers to secure the victory and the shutout – her fifth of the season.

Christine Tinsman (Prairie Village, Kan.) turned back four shots for the Cougars, who held advantages in both shots (11-10) and penalty corners (10-5).

Each team will return to conference action later in the week. Worcester State travels to Westfield to take on the Owls on Friday night in Little East action, while the Cougars will play host to NEWMAC foe Wheaton on Saturday.