WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State got a hat trick from Delaney Parker (Orange, Mass./Mahar), and a pair of goals from graduate student Jenn Rennich (Bedford, Mass.) as she scored her 100th career point to power Westfield to a 6-0 win over Keene State in a non-conference women's soccer match at Alumni Field on Wednesday evening.
Parker, the nation's leading scorer in 2021 with 31 goals, got off the schneid for the season by scoring three of the Owls first four goals. Westfield peppered Keene's back line with long balls into the offensive end. Parker's first goal came when Keene goalkeeper Moira Clancy (Stow, Mass.) came out to capture a service, but the ball shook loose, and right to Parker who buried it in the net for a 1-0 lead just 4:29 into the match.
Westfield's second goal came on a long serve from Morgan Berthiaume (Webster, Mass./Douglas) to Rennich, who found the back of the net for her 100th career point, becoming just the sixth Owl in school history to reach that number. Rennich capped the scoring in the 74th minute dribbling past a Keene defender at the top of the box after a pair of good attacking passes from teammates. For Rennich it was her fifth goal of the season and 32nd of her career, good for ninth on Westfield's all-time list. Rennich is playing out her fourth year of eligibility while attending graduate school after missing the season due to the covid cancellations in the fall of 2020.
Riley Lowe (Andover, Mass.) added Westfield's other marker on the evening, capping a run of three goals in 2:13 midway through the first half that put the match well out of reach.
Keene lacked for grade A scoring chances, perhaps the best coming with about 32 minutes left in the match when Kayleigh Marshall's (Bow, NH) volley off a corner kick slid wide left. Keene's Grace Abbott (Ashaway, R.I.) launched a long attacking ball into the Owls penalty area that was snared by Owls goalkeeper Michaella Moncecchi (Windsor, Mass./Wahconah) for Westfield's lone save of the evening.
Westfield out shot Keene 30-3 overall and 18-1 in shots on goal, and generated seven corner kicks to Keene's two.
Westfield split the match between three goalkeepers, with Lauryn Davis (Templeton, Mass./Quabbin) getting the start and the win before being relieved by Julia Robak (Chicopee, Mass.) and Moncecchi.
Clancy made a pair of saves in net before giving way to Riley Andriski (Newmarket, N.H.), who made nine saves.
Rennich and defender Jaida Cochran (Middleboro, Mass.) were honored pre-game for their selection to the all-tournament team from the Owls' Kickoff Classic, Powered by Westfield Gas and Electric and Whip City Fiber. The honors came belatedly as the final gam of the tournament vs. Springfield which was suspended due to a persistent thunderstorm, was finally declared to be cancelled with the Pride unable to find a reschedule date.
Westfield State will be back in action on Saturday, travelling to Framingham State for an 11:00 a.m. start in the first MASCAC match of season.