By Taylor Kimmell Staff Writer The Framingham State Rams faced off against the Fitchburg State Falcons in a conference matchup Oct. 16. Right out of the gate, Fitchburg brought offensive pressure. The team shot down the field and attempted a goal 15 seconds in, and another 28 seconds in. The first goal was shot wide, while the second was blocked by freshman goaltender Rowan Whittaker. This immediate action from the Falcons would not deter the Rams. They fought back and earned a corner, which resulted in a goal by freshman Finley Hogan with an assist from senior Captain Kaylee Beck. Minutes later, the Falcons fought back with another shot on goal, one that was again saved by Whittaker. At the 7-minute mark, the Rams barreled down the field, scoring once again on a hard shot from senior Captain Emma Bailey. The tide began to turn just 5 minutes later, as the Falcons found the back of the net, bringing the score to 2-1 with the Rams still clinging to the lead. Framingham State regained possession of the ball, earning another corner less than a minute later. Freshman Mikayla Malmquist attempted a goal, which was blocked by Fitchburg goalkeeper Jenna Morse. The second quarter began with another attempt on goal by the Falcons, which was blocked by Whittaker. It was an evenly paced game for the next few minutes, with shots from both teams and more impressive saves on defense. The third quarter began much slower than the previous two. There were no notable moments for the first 3 minutes of the second half. It started to go downhill for the Rams when at 33:11, the Falcons netted the tying goal. About 3 minutes later, the Falcons scored again, taking the lead over the Rams. The Rams came back with a corner. Bailey fired off what looked to be a perfect shot, but unfortunately, it sailed through the air just inches above the net. Framingham State earned three consecutive corners, but was unable to use any of them to their advantage. The final quarter began with a shot from Malmquist about 5 minutes in that sailed just wide of the net. Minutes later, the Falcons put another ball in the net, scoring their final goal of the game on a corner. Fitchburg State attempted one more goal, but their efforts were shot down by a diving save from Whittaker. The Rams took one last shot, but Fitchburg State’s goaltender would not relent. The game ended in a loss for Framingham State with a score of 4-2. Framingham totaled 13 shots and played out 9 penalty corners. Graduate student and Captain Angelina Serra noted that in games against teams like Fitchburg State, with players who are constantly in motion, the Rams specifically prepare to keep up. “Fitchburg is probably the fastest team in the MASCAC. … During the drills in practices leading up, we really just give it all we have and go as fast as we can.” Serra believes the team improved offensively since their last game against Fitchburg State on Sept. 20, creating many more opportunities to score and playing at a faster speed. Sophomore Allison Harmuth said, “We have improved on our positioning and utilizing each other to get the ball down the field … as well as taking free hits much faster, which earned us a lot of advantages.” Fitchburg has developed a reputation within the conference as a strong team. They left this game with a 5-0 conference record. Junior Natalia Roehr said, “We honestly just told ourselves to play them like it’s the first time again, like it was 0-0. … We just have to come in, come out fast, and catch them off guard. We really did that in the beginning.” Whittaker said that as a goaltender, it is hard to deal with negativity at times. She said, “I have to keep myself in a positive mindset - hungry and ready for the next play. “It’s difficult to deal with overly aggressive behavior from opponents, but I try my best to ignore them and continue playing my game,” she added. Most recently, the team lost a difficult battle to Westfield State on Saturday, Oct. 12. The Rams are hopeful for a win against Salem State on the Vikings’ turf in another conference matchup Oct. 19.