DeMaio, Prattson Reach Career Milestones in Owls Loss to #16 Amherst

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State seniors' Natalie DeMaio (Westwood, Mass.) and Emma Prattson (Tolland, Conn.) reached significant career milestones on Sunday afternoon, as the Westfield State women's lacrosse team fell to 16th-ranked Amherst 18-6 at Alumni Field on Sunday afternoon.

DeMaio scored her 200^th career point for the Owls off an assist in the first quarter, circling around to the top of the fan before firing a pass inside to Prattson who ripped a high shot into the net. Later in the game, Prattson reached the 100-career assist mark in the second quarter dishing a pass to a cutting DeMaio who shielded off two Mammoths defenders before depositing the goal.  

DeMaio led the Owls' offense with three goals and two assists, continuing her outstanding career as one of Westfield State's most prolific scorers with a total of 204 career points which is sixth all-time. Her 177 career goals stand third in program history, three goals away from passing Rachel Dione '11 for second all-time.

Prattson moved into elite company with her 100^th career assist as she joins Stephanie Lenhardt '15 as the only two Owls in program history to record 100-plus career assists. Prattson has collected 146 career points across her four-year career which is 12^th all-time. Prattson finished with a goal and two assists, further cementing her legacy as one of the program's premier playmakers.

The visiting Mammoths (5-2) established their presence early, jumping out to a 6-1 advantage midway through the opening quarter. Amherst's Kate Becker (Princeton, NJ) dominated the early action, recording two goals in the first three minutes of play.

Westfield State (2-6) showed resilience by answering with a goal from Prattson, assisted by DeMaio, to get on the scoreboard. Kylie Buchanan (Westfield, Mass.) added another tally late in the first quarter on an assist from Prattson to make it 6-2.

The Owls hit their stride in the second quarter, opening with a 2-0 run. However, the Mammoths responded and gained the upper hand, outscoring the Owls 5-3 in the period. DeMaio and Arianna Andresen (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) showcased their chemistry, each scoring and assisting the other, while Prattson maintained her strong performance with another assist.

The third quarter proved decisive as Amherst seized control of the contest. The Mammoths outscored Westfield 5-1 in the period, including a player-up goal by Sofia Guttmann (Weston, FL) with 34 seconds remaining. DeMaio scored the Owls' lone goal of the quarter, her third of the game, on an assist from Andresen.

Amherst closed out the contest with a 2-0 advantage in the final quarter to secure the 18-6 victory.

Kate Becker led all scorers with four goals and two assists for Amherst, while Mia Raven (Philadelphia, PA) and Sofia Guttmann each contributed a hat trick. Emily Petersen (Mountain Lakes, NJ) demonstrated exceptional playmaking ability with four assists while adding a goal of her own.

For the Owls, Andresen complemented DeMaio's performance with a goal and two assists, while Prattson added a goal and two assists. Defensively, Olivia Hadla (Westfield, Mass.) collected three ground balls and forced two turnovers while controlling five draw controls.

The Mammoths held significant advantages in shots (39-15), draw controls (19-8), and were successful on 2-of-5 free position opportunities, while the Owls went 0-for-4 on free position shots.

Amherst's goalies delivered a solid performance in the net, combining for five saves on 11 shots. Lily Samoska (Hingham, Mass.), who earned the win and improved to 5-2 on the season, played the first half, allowing five goals while making two saves. Jessye Salmon (Fleetwood, NY) took over in the second half, conceding just one goal and recording three saves to help secure the victory.

In goal for the Owls, Kara Banagan (Niskayuna, N.Y.), Sydney Smith (Dalton, Mass.), and Izzy Conley (North Salem, N.Y.) combined for 11 saves for Westfield State, with Smith recording a team-high six stops during her 30 minutes of action.

Westfield State returns to action Wednesday when they host Connecticut College at 7:00 P.M. at Alumni Field. Fans can follow the action live at WestfieldStateOwls.com.

Written by Tom Onorato - Sports Information Intern