WESTFIELD, Mass. – The Westfield State women's lacrosse team was picked to repeat as conference champions as part of the 2024 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Preseason Coaches' Poll as voted on by the coaches within the league.
The Owls earned all six of the opposing team's first-place votes, piling up 36 points. Framingham State received the final first-place tally, finishing second in the poll standings with 29 points followed by Bridgewater State with 26 points.
Last season, Westfield won their fifth MASCAC Championship title in the last six seasons, finishing with an overall record of 14-6 and a perfect 7-0 mark in the league to earn the top seed in the MASCAC.
The Owls defeated Worcester State 21-10 in the conference semifinals before winning their 11th straight game against Framingham State 21-15 in the MASCAC Championship game. Westfield earned the automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament where their season came to an end with a first-round loss to Babson College.
Westfield returns plenty of firepower from the 2023 season, including former MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year, Emma Cretella (Cheshire, Conn.), and MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year, Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.).
Cretella, a senior midfielder, collected 83 points on 60 goals and 23 assists which were all top five marks in the MASCAC. She also registered 68 draw controls, 19 ground balls, and 17 caused turnovers. She will look to continue climbing the program record books where she is currently tenth all-time in career points at 143.
Hadla fronted an Owls defense that allowed the fewest goals per game in the league at 10.15 and held opponents to a 38.3 shooting percentage and 44.7 free position shot percentage. She totaled 34 ground balls, ten draw controls, and 19 caused turnovers.
Joining Cretella and Hadla are MASCAC All-Conference First Team defender Paige Jelliffe (Monroe, Conn.) and goalkeeper Kara Banagan (Niskayuna, N.Y.).
Jelliffe started all 20 games for the Owls a season ago, racking up 21 caused turnovers and 24 ground balls. Banagan recorded an 8-4 record in net with a 50.2 save percentage and an 11.65 goals against mark.
All-Conference Second Team defenders' Victoria Paine (Dudley, Mass.) and Lindsey Panneton (Tyngsborough, Mass.) also return to bolster an already deep group of defenders for the Owls.
Westfield State will open the 2024 campaign on Wednesday, February 28 as the Owls travel to Western New England for a 4:00 P.M. start time.
For full women's lacrosse MASCAC Preseason Poll, CLICK HERE