Conn College Shades Owls, 12-11

Olivia Overdahl (file photo)
Olivia Overdahl (file photo)

Connecticut College freshman Kelly Wolin (Sudbury, Mass.) scored the game winning goal with 3:46 seconds left to give the Camels the tight 12-11 win over Westfield State Wednesday night.

It was a back-and-forth matchup between the two teams, with eight ties and neither team leading by more than two goals throughout the game.

Connecticut College got off to a quick start, with senior Jamie Navoni (Natick, Mass.) netting a goal just 52 seconds into the game, but Owls' senior Marissa Nimeskern (Hanover, Mass.) matched that with a goal of her own less than two minutes later to even the score at 1-1.

Navoni would pick up another goal shortly after to put the Camels up 2-1 with 23:06 left in the first half.

Westfield seniors Lucy Barrett (Williamstown, Mass.) and Alexa Tonelli (Shrewsbury Mass.) responded with back to back goals within 30 seconds of each other, giving the Owls their first lead of the game (3-2).

Connecticut would come back to score the next three goals of the game and take a 5-3 lead.

The Owls got one back at 1:01 on Barrett's second goal of the game, and Jamie Navoni and Tonelli exchanged goals within the final minute to send the Camels into the break with a 6-5 advantage.

Sophomore Hannah Lombard (Ipswich, Mass.) scored to extend Connecticut's lead to 7-5 early in the second half, but Westfield senior Sydney Lambert (Hanover, Mass.) netted back to back goals to even things up at seven with 24:51 remaining.

The two teams went on to exchange the next eight goals of the game, and a goal by Westfield senior Elizabeth Navoni (Mansfield, Mass.) tied things back up at 11 with 10:43 to play.

The next seven minutes featured strong goalie play, with Westfield senior Maria Woodall (Norfolk, Mass.) and Connecticut sophomore Nina Fazio (East Longmeadow, Mass.) trading fantastic saves.

Freshman Wolin would ultimately net the game winner on her third goal of the game with just 3:46 to play, sealing the game for the Camels (2-4).

Sydney Lambert had three goals in the loss, while Lucy Barrett finished with two goals and two assists.  Lambert now has 103 career goals, having scored her 100th during the Owls' Florida swing, and is tied for seventh on Westfield State's all-time list.

Connecticut College senior Jamie Navoni had four goals to go along with an assist in the win.

Westfield and Connecticut State were virtually even in every statistical category in this one, with the Camels having the slight edge in shots (29-25) and shots on goal (23-22).

Westfield State is now 2-4 on the season while playing a rugged non-conference schedule, which gets no easier with their next game on Wednesday, March 27th at 6pm, when they will take on 12th-ranked Amherst College.

-- written by Nick Dolan, Sports Information Intern