Women’s Soccer Drops Regular Season Finale at Westfield
Westfield entered the match with a 4-1-1 league mark, while Framingham had a 5-1 mark. With the win, Westfield earns a first round bye and will host a semifinal match on Friday night. Framingham State will host a first round game on Tuesday.
The Owls seized control early in the match, tallying just 12 minutes in. Katy Knight(Woburn/Woburn, Mass.) served a long ball from the back that Amanda Grant(Westfield/Westfield, Mass.) ran on to on the left side. Grant's shot was saved by Framingham goalkeeper Sara Sullivan (North Quincy/Quincy, Mass.). Grant regained possession and slid the ball back to Sarah Sypek (Hampshire Regional/Westhampton, Mass.) , who's blast from the top of the box dipped over the sliding Sullivan for a 1-0 Owls lead.
Ten minutes later Westfield improved its lead to 2-0 on a header by Kate Matroni(Minnechaug/Wilbraham, Mass.). Matroni created the opportunity from the left side, crossing the ball to Grant, who's shot hit the cross bar, and rebounded to Martroni at the top of the goalkeepers box on the right side, who headed it directly in.
Framingham answered on a header from Isabela DeSouza (Framingham/Framigham, Mass.), who beat a Westfield defender to score off a left side cross from Marisa Parent (Revere/Revere, Mass.).
The Owls pushed lead back up to a pair, 3-1, when Framingham's defense failed to clear a ball and Westfield's Ashley Bovat (Westfield/Westfield, Mass.) played the ball through to Kelsey Murray (Whitman Hanson/Hanson, Mass.) who tallied what proved to be the game-winning goal.
Framingham struggled to create scoring opportunities in the early stages of the second half, but the Rams finally struck in the 76th minute, as Parent launched a corner kick from the left side that bent in towards goal. Westfield's Anne Stack (E. Longmeadow/East Longmeadow, Mass.) made the initial save in heavy traffic in front of the goal, but the ball continued to bounce and was headed by the Rams' Angela Pallotta (Clinton/Sterling, Mass.) before Michaela Hyland (E. Longmeadow/E. Longmeadow, Mass.) scored to cut the lead to 3-2.
Westfield improved to 11-4-2, 5-1-1 in the MASCAC with the win. Framingham falls to 11-6, 5-2 in the MASCAC.
Pairings for the MASCAC tournament are expected later today.
*Portions of release courtesy of Westfield sports information*