WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Valentine's Day was extra sweet for the Westfield State University women's basketball team, as the Owls rolled to a 113-65 win over Fitchburg State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference women's basketball game at the Woodward Center, and the Owls clinched the outright MASCAC title.

Westfield, 16-7 overall and 10-1 MASCAC, has won or shared the conference regular-season crown in each of the last four years. The Owls are 49-4 against conference foes over the past four seasons.

Westfield honored its three seniors before the game, center Rebecca Sapouckey (Granby/Chicopee, Mass.), forward Keri Paton (Russell/Westfield, Mass.) and guard Alyssa Darling (Palmer, Mass.) , who have been part of a championship effort in each of their seasons in blue and white.

Westfield jumped out to a 36-13 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Owls connected on 17 of 49 three point baskets, one shy of a school record for both makes and attempts, and made 21 of 23 free throw attempts in the game.

The Owls defense forced 40 turnovers from the Falcons.

Junior guard Allison Hester (Sutton, Mass.) led the Owls with 17 points and grabbed five steals. Kierra McCarthy (Ludlow, Mass.) added 12 points and six steals for the Owls.

Among the seniors Darling finished with 16 points on 4-10 shooting from downtown, Paton played a fine all-around game with nine points, seven rebounds, five steals and three assists, and Sapouckey finished with eight points on 4-5 shooting, made three steals and dished out a pair of assists.

The Owls cracked the 100-point mark for the seventh time this season on a McCarthy three-pointer with 5:30 to play in the game. The Owls entered the game ranked third in the nation in scoring offense at 86.5 points per game.

Fitchburg State (8-16, 2-9 MASCAC) hung close to the Owls for the first three minutes, and led 8-7 after a Michaela McTomney layup with 7:18 left in the first quarter, but it was all Westfield from that point forward. McTomney led the Falcons with 14 points on 6-12 shooting from the floor. Payton Holmes added 12 and Mikaela Mitchell added eight points, six rebounds and four assists.

Westfield will play one more regular season game, traveling to Worcester State on Saturday for a 1:00 p.m. start. By clinching the top seed in the conference tournament, the Owls have assured themselves of a first-round bye and will host a semifinal game on Thursday, February 22 at the Woodward Center against an opponent who is yet to be determined.

Fitchburg will celebrate its senior day on Saturday, when the Falcons host Bridgewater State at 1:00 p.m.