WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State forwards' Charlie Anischik (South Hadley, Mass.) and Coleby Andrade (Falmouth, Mass.) each tallied a goal in the second half to guide the Owls to a 2-1 victory over Worcester State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game on Saturday afternoon from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass.
The Owls have now won consecutive conference games, improving to 3-1-1 on the season and 2-0 in MASCAC play. The Lancers dip to 0-3-3 overall and 0-2 in league action.
After a scoreless first half, Westfield opened the scoring inside the 55th minute off a corner kick. First-year Santino Mazza (East Longmeadow, Mass.) sent a pass into the box towards the back post to a crashing Anischik who headed a shot past Lancers keeper Andy Ramirez (Park Ridge, Mass.) to put the Owls ahead 1-0.
The Owls tacked on an important insurance goal at the 64th minute with Ethan Margolis (Wakefield, Mass.) threading a pass to Andrade who was making a straight line towards the net. Andrade fended off his nearest defender and lifted a shot towards the far post to double the Owls lead.
With Westfield up two goals, the Lancers began to ramp up the scoring opportunities beginning with a Worcester free kick from the 35-yard line which saw a lofted pass deflect off a couple of bodies in front of the net to the feet of Waseem Mahmoud (Northboro, Mass.) who managed to settle the pass and launch a shot short side past Luke Theroux (Chicopee, Mass.) to cut the deficit in half with 11:15 remaining in the game.
The Lancers received two additional corner kicks after the Mahmoud tally, but were unable to convert on either opportunity, allowing the Owls to eventually run out the clock.
Both teams had near misses with the game still knotted at zero apiece. 18:52 into the first half, a free kick from the Lancers dangerously entered the top of the box where Matthew Alzamora (Holden, Mass.) angled a header off the crossbar and over the net.
2:19 into the second half, the Owls also rang the crossbar off a free kick from Paul Whalley (Southwick, Mass.)
The contest was evenly played in terms of shot production as both teams attempted 13 shots. Theroux (W, 3-1) recorded four saves including one late in the game off the head of Taylor Gavaletz (Dudley, Mass.) to preserve the win. Ramirez (L, 0-2-3) picked up three saves for Worcester.
Westfield State will look to keep the momentum in their next match as the Owls travel to Albertus Magnus for a non-conference game on Wednesday at 7:00 P.M. Worcester State returns home to face Curry for their next game on Wednesday at 7:00 P.M.