Clark Nets Overtime Winner, Owls Hand Falcons First Conference Loss

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior forward Abby Clark (Uxbridge, Mass.) collected a rebound in front of the net and scored the overtime winner to propel the Owls to a 3-2 sudden victory over Fitchburg State in a battle between two of the top three teams in the MASCAC on Saturday evening.

The Owls advance to 8-7 on the season and gain ground on the Falcons for the top spot in the conference, improving to 5-2 in the league. Fitchburg owns a 7-7 record overall and drop their first conference game of the season, falling to 6-1 in the MASCAC.

Playing in their fourth overtime contest of the season, the Owls broke through after a pair of penalty corners that yielded several scoring opportunities. Playing seven-on-seven, the Owls possessed the ball into the offensive zone, resulting in an initial shot by Kaleigh Murphy (Pembroke, Mass.) that was saved by Falcons defender Alexis Raymond (Tewksbury, Mass.). The ball kicked back out to Clark who fired home her second goal of the season, serving as the sudden-victory winner.

The Owls are now 3-1 in overtime games this season, including a 3-0 record versus MASCAC opponents in sudden victory situations.

Trailing 1-0 entering the second quarter, Erin Murphy (Auburn, Mass.) sparked the Owls offense, scoring her third of the season on a shot directed at the near post off a pass from Annalise Lopes (Plymouth, Mass.) to tie the game entering halftime.

With the game tied heading to the fourth quarter, Westfield grabbed the lead 3:56 into the period with Leah Peirce (Barnstable, Mass.) feeding a pass to Meredith Higgins (Enfield, Conn.) who fired home her fifth marker of the season, taking a 2-1 lead.

Fitchburg quickly answered the Higgins goal to tie the game at two apiece with Sophia Yates (Woodstock, Vt.) netting her second goal of the contest and 11^th tally of the season, forcing overtime.

The Owls controlled the overtime period, holding the Falcons without a shot while taking five shots of their own. Fitchburg outshot Westfield 23-15 in the game as the Owls were able to get the game to overtime thanks to the performance from junior goalkeeper Emma Gniadek (Worcester, Mass.). Gniadek picked up her seventh win of the campaign, collecting 12 saves for her third highest mark of the season. Gniadek has accumulated six double-figure save efforts on the year.

Jenna Morse (Leominster, Mass.) added nine saves for Fitchburg. The Owls and Falcons split the regular season series this season with a potential collision course in tournament play on the horizon.

Westfield State currently holds sole possession of second place in the MASCAC standings with three conference games left on the schedule. Before returning to MASCAC action, the Owls will host a non-conference match against Eastern Connecticut State from Alumni Field on Tuesday at 7:00 P.M.