WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State sophomore Carter Hebert (Easthampton, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal with 8:07 remaining in regulation to power the Owls past Mass. Maritime 3-2 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference opener on the road Friday night.
The Owls improve to 2-1-1 on the season and begin the conference campaign at 1-0. Mass. Maritime drops to 1-3-1 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
Westfield gained possession at midfield with Jacoby Authier (Holyoke, Mass.) settling a pass to Ethan Margolis (Wakefield, Mass.) who dished a feed to Hebert thirty yards out. Hebert took the space in front of him, then ripped a shot from the top of the penalty area to the left corner of the net to give the Owls the lead and eventual win.
The Owls found the opening goal of the game just over five minutes into play beginning with Paul Whalley (Southwick, Mass.) who lobbed a pass 45 yards downfield that deflected off a group of players to the feet of Coleby Andrade (Falmouth, Mass.) who rocketed a shot low and away from the diving Kaden Winter (Walpole, Mass.) to give Westfield a 1-0 lead.
The Buccaneers scored a late first-half goal off the foot of Brody Calvert (Windsor, Mass.), then Ryan Soughou (Bel Air, Md.) set up CJ Vincent (Carver, Mass.) with a pass into the box to put Mass. Maritime in front at the 64th minute.
Westfield quickly found the equalizer just over five minutes later after Andrade centered a pass into the middle of the penalty area to a cutting Matthew Allen (Southwick, Mass.) who curved a shot inside the far post to tie the game at two goals apiece.
Hebert's go-ahead score came after consecutive corner kick attempts for the Owls with the second chance ending in a defensive save from a Buccaneers defender off a shot from Hebert which at the time kept the game tied.
Mass. Maritime held a slight advantage in overall shots (15-14) and shots on net (7-6). Owls first-year goalkeeper Luke Theroux (Chicopee, Mass.) turned in another strong showing, registering five saves in the contest to pick up his second win of the season. Winter (L, 1-3-1) recorded two saves.
Westfield State will travel to UMass Dartmouth for their next match on Monday at 7:00 P.M. before returning home on Saturday, September 23 to host MASCAC foe Worcester State at noon.