Kara Banagan (file photo).
Posted: Apr 05, 2023
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State goalkeeper Kara Banagan (Niskayuna, N.Y.) matched a career high with 17 saves as the Owls ran out to a 7-0 lead in the first half and held on for a 14-7 win over Wheaton College in a non-conference women's lacrosse game in Norton, Mass., on Wednesday night.
Westfield evens its season record at 5-5 with the win and have won two straight. Wheaton slips to 7-4 with the loss.
The Owls got out of the gates fast, scoring six times in the first quarter, and then Cassidy Harvey (Niskayuna, N.Y.) added her third goal of the game with 13:13 left in the second quarter to stake the Owls to a 7-0 advantage before the Lyons finally got on the board.
Westfield led 11-3 at the half.
Wheaton used a strong third quarter to trim the Owls lead, and got it to as few as six goals at 12-6, after back-to-back goals from Jessie Kilburn to close the third and open the fourth quarter.
After timeout, the Owls regrouped and got goals from Cassidy Connolly (Woburn, Mass.) on a slick sidearm shot and Kiely Hafensteiner (Niskayuna, N.Y.) to boost the lead back to eight, at 14-6 with 4:27 left in the game.
Emma Cretella (Cheshire, Conn.) led Westfield with four goals, and Harvey added three.
Banagan's standout game in goal largely proved to be the difference for Westfield. Wheaton scored on just 1 of 8 free position shots against Banagan, and the Lyons held slight advantages in shots (32-30), draw controls (15-10) and caused turnovers (10-5).
Westfield chased Wheaton starting netminder Emily Kelly after the early barrage, as she stopped just one of seven shots on goal before being pulled in favor of Emily Oundjian late in the first quarter. Oundjian made eight saves on the day. Lara Finne Led Wheaton with three goals on the evening.
Westfield will return to conference play on Saturday with a game at Bridgewater State.