By Jim Fenton

Worcester, Mass. --- Junior Alicia Macomber of Stoughton made steady progress during her first two seasons with the Worcester State University women's soccer team.

She scored four goals with 12 points as a freshman in 2012 and improved to nine goals and 20 points as a sophomore a year ago.

The 2012 Stoughton High School graduate took her game to another level this season, leading the Lancers to the MASCAC championship and a trip to the NCAA Division III tournament.

Macomber set school records with 18 goals and 42 points and was named the MASCAC player of the year and the conference tournament most valuable player.

"She was amazing,'' said Worcester State coach Kevin Cumberbatch, whose team went 14-4-1, including 7-0 in the MASCAC. "She was always super talented. Physically, she was ready for the college game right away.

"What changed this year, she just became a much more intelligent player. Her runs off the ball and when to go one vs. one, when to shoot from distance, what we needed at a particular time during the game, I think mentally this year, she took a boost into the next class of players.''

Macomber did not score a point in the Lancers' first two games, but she had three goals in a Sept. 6 game against Rhode Island College, one of six multiple-goal games, to start on a roll.

The 18 goals tied for second in the MASCAC and Macomber was third in points and tied for sixth with six assists. The Lancers lost to Nazareth, 1-0, in the NCAAs.

Macomber, a first-team all-conference pick, will enter the 2015 season fourth on Worcester State's all-time list with 31 career goals (13 shy of the record) and 74 points (26 away from the record).

"Her runs off the ball were so much better this year that she found herself in a lot better positions,'' said Cumberbatch, "and then when she got there, she had the experience to know placement, when to hit for power.

"She was man-marked for a majority of the season, especially in conference play, and she did a great job with it. To still come out with the stats she did with other teams devoting strictly players just to deal with her for an entire game, it was amazing to watch.

"She hasn't reached her ceiling yet. She's been super talented from day one, but if she keeps studying the game, she had some opportunities this year where I think next year with getting another year under her belt, those will hit the back of the net, too.''

Macomber was an Enterprise All-Scholastic in track at Stoughton High, breaking the school record in the 55-meter hurdles.