WESTFIELD, Mass. – Matias Otero (Rye Brook, N.Y.) tallied his third goal of the season in the first half, and Ryan Viana (Framingham, Mass.) scored late in the second half to secure a 2-0 victory for Westfield State over Mass. Maritime Academy in the MASCAC opener on Friday night from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass.
The Owls improve to 4-3 overall and are 1-0 in the conference. The Buccaneers drop to 1-5 on the season and 0-1 in the league.
Westfield netted their first of two goals late in the first half. Charlie Anischik (South Hadley, Mass.) corralled a loose ball at the defending 30 yard-line where he would loft a high pass downfield ahead of Otero who fended off a Buccaneers defender and controlled the pass before one-touching the ball past Maritime keeper Preston Joia (Mashpee, Mass.) and into the empty net for a 1-0 lead with just under eight minutes left in the half.
Prior to the Otero marker, the Buccaneers had a strong scoring opportunity inside the 30th minute with leading goal scorer Brody Calvert (Windsor, Mass.) ringing the post on a tight-angled shot along the end line as the game remained scoreless.
Despite only one goal being scored in the second half, both teams had legitimate scoring opportunities starting early in the frame with Anischik directing a header off a corner to the far post, forcing Joia to make a diving save to his right to keep the match at a 1-0 mark.
Mass. Maritime responded with two consecutive scoring chances, initiated by Calvert who carried the ball to the right corner of the box where he would stop, pivot, then send a pass back to the top of the box where Ryan Soughou (Bel Air, Md.) fired a shot that was saved by a sprawling Luke Theroux (Chicopee, Mass.). With Theroux on the ground, the ball deflecting to Jack Turmel (West Springfield, Mass.) whose shot was denied by a sliding Carter Daughdrill (Easthampton, Mass.) to hold the lead.
Two additional scoring chances for the Owls materialized later in the half, with Coleby Andrade (Falmouth, Mass.) serving up a header off a Dominic Cirelli (Springfield, Mass.) long-distance throw that went high of the net. With 20 minutes left in the game, Anischik was first to the ball off an Otero corner feed, but his headed shot was saved by Joia.
With under six minutes left in regulation, the Owls broke through for their second goal of the match. Carter Hebert (Easthampton, Mass.) controlled possession towards the top of the box, dishing a pass to an unmarked Viana on the far side who had time to settle then rocket a low shot that beat Joia to double the lead and put the game out of reach.
Theroux (W, 3-1) totaled a five-save shutout for Westfield. Joia stopped five shots on goal for Mass. Maritime as the Owls outshot the Buccaneers 22-15.
Westfield State will hit the road for their next two matches as the Owls travel to Plymouth State for a non-conference game on Tuesday at 4:00 P.M. Mass. Maritime returns home to face Salve Regina on Tuesday at 7:00 P.M.