Megan Bailey (file photo)
Posted: Apr 17, 2024
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Senior Megan Bailey (Quincy, Mass.) led a balanced Owls attack with four goals as Westfield State built up an eight-goal first-quarter lead to run away with a 16-7 victory over Worcester State in a MASCAC game on Wednesday night from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass.
Kiely Hafensteiner (Niskayuna, N.Y.) scored or assisted on three of the first four goals for the Owls, who improve to 9-6 overall and 4-0 in the conference. Mckayla Fisher (Peabody, Mass.) buried three goals for Worcester, who suffer their first loss in the conference, dropping to 7-7 overall and 2-1 in the league.
The Owls dominated every aspect of the game in the first quarter, scoring half of their goals for the game in the period while holding the Lancers off the scoreboard thanks to four first-quarter saves from Kara Banagan (Niskayuna, N.Y.). Westfield also outshot Worcester 13-5 and held a 7-2 advantage in draw controls in the period.
Hafensteiner put the Owls on the board just two minutes into the game, driving towards the net from the far-side post where she would rip a shot low and in between the legs of Worcester keeper Olivia LaValle (Peabody, Mass.) for a 1-0 lead.
Forty seconds later, Hafensteiner facilitated the Owls second tally of the night, feeding a pass to Bailey who worked around a group of Lancers defenders, tucking a deflected low shot for a two-goal lead.
Westfield quickly transitioned defense into offense for their third goal with Natalie DeMaio (Westwood, Mass.) delivering a pass to a cutting Lindsey Bohenko (Lowell, Mass.) who ripped a shot high and past the stick of LaValle, forcing Worcester to call timeout.
The Owls relentless offensive pressure continued as Westfield would go on to score four goals in a span of 1:10 of game action with Mercedes Rozzi (South Burlington, Vt.) and Jessica Connors (Scarborough, Maine) tacking on consecutive free position goals to open up a 7-0 lead. All seven goals were scored by seven different players during the stretch.
Bailey closed the quarter with her second marker of the night, then Hafensteiner rocketed home a free position goal to begin the second, capping a string of nine consecutive goals from the Owls.
Molly Witkowski (Greenville, N.Y.) connected for the Lancers first goal of the contest with 11:31 remaining in the half before Mykenzie Black (Hopedale, Mass.) quickly responded with a marker of her own, winning the draw control, then sprinting towards the goal where she fired a shot into the back of the net 12 seconds after the Witkowski goal.
Westfield continued to up the lead entering halftime, scoring four of the final five goals with two off the stick of Bailey to lead 14-3 into the break.
Emma Prattson (Tolland, Conn.) and Willow Romo (Marlboro, Vt.) were the only two goal scorers for either side in the third, extending the lead to 13 goals going into the final quarter.
Fisher tacked on a pair of fourth-quarter scorers within a minute of each other in the midway point of the fourth, then Abigail Vincent (Lakeville, Mass.) and Ashley Hurley (Feeding Hills, Mass.) closed the scoring for both sides.
Hafensteiner inched closer to the career 100-point mark, adding two goals and two assists to put her at 98 career points. Prattson tallied a goal and two assists with Rozzi also adding a three-point night with two goals and one assist. Nine different Owls found the back of the net in the contest.
Banagan (W, 3-4) registered five saves on eight shots in the first half. Sydney Smith (Dalton, Mass.) also totaled five saves for Westfield with the two goalkeepers splitting time in net. LaValle (L, 5-5) recorded ten saves for the Lancers.
Westfield State has just two games remaining in the regular season, both at home against conference opponents as the Owls take on Fitchburg State on Friday at 7:00 P.M. from Alumni Field.