WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State forward Kiana Muratsuka (Mililani, Hawaii) registered a goal and an assist as the Owls coasted to a 3-0 victory over Framingham State in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass. on Saturday afternoon.
The Owls, winners of four of their last five games, improve to 7-5 overall and remain perfect in league play at 4-0. The Rams fall to 1-9 on the year and 1-3 in conference action.
The Owls quickly jumped in front just 1:22 into play as Kiki McNary (Dummerston, Vt.) touched a pass ahead to a crashing Muratsuka who beat her nearest defender to the ball and lifted a shot high and over the outstretched arms of Rams keeper Jetta Oskirko (Lancaster, Mass.) for her seventh goal of the season.
In the later stages of the first half, the Owls gained possession at midfield with Delaney Parker (Orange, Mass.) tapping a pass to Bella Parrotte (East Greenbush, N.Y.) who rocketed a pass downfield which was ran down by Parker who then blasted a shot to the near side to double the Owls lead heading into halftime.
The Parker tally moved her career points total to 134 as she currently sits second on the all-time list, 11 points behind recently graduated midfielder Jenn Rennich for the top spot.
Westfield added a third and final goal five minutes into the second half off as Muratsuka chipped a corner kick into the box, allowing for Tia Tollis (East Longmeadow, Mass.) to slightly redirect the pass to the feet of Ryan Moran (Manchester, N.H.) who rattled home her first collegiate goal to boost the Westfield lead.
The Rams best scoring opportunity came inside the 72nd minute after Tarynn Smith (Mansfield, Mass.) lofted a corner kick into the box to Julia Rosano (Framingham, Mass.) who's initial shot was blocked with the rebound attempt ending up in the hands of Owls' goalkeeper Sarah Fuller (Weymouth, Mass.).
Westfield held the majority of the possession in the contest as the Owls owned a hefty 47-2 shots advantage and fired 22 shots on goal to the Rams one attempt. Oskirko was stout in net throughout the entire match, piling up 18 saves. Julia Robak (Chicopee, Mass.) picked up her fifth win of the season before turning the remainder of the game over to Fuller who made one save.
Westfield State will play their next four games on the road beginning on Wednesday at 7:00 P.M. as the Owls travel to Eastern Nazarene College for a non-conference bout. Framingham State returns home for a non-conference contest against Lesley on Wednesday at 4:30 P.M.