Parker Tallies Hat Trick, Sets All-Time Points Record in Draw Against UMass Boston

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State junior forward Delaney Parker (Orange, Mass.) tallied her sixth career hat trick and set the all-time points record in program history as the Owls tied UMass Boston 3-3 in a non-conference game on the road Wednesday night.

Parker's three goals (six points) moved her ahead of former teammate and previous career points leader Jenn Rennich '22, totaling 147 career points in less than three seasons with the Owls (60 goals and 27 assists across 57 games played).

The Owls pick up their first draw of the season, moving their overall record to 9-5-1. The Beacons, meanwhile, secure their seventh tie of the year to push their record to 6-3-7 on the season.

UMass Boston got out to an early 2-0 lead with Christina LaFauci (Waltham, Mass.) opening the scoring 31:12 of the match off a feed from Kaylee Haynes (Bridgewater, Mass.). Four minutes later, the Beacons doubled their lead as Chloe Shapiro (Santa Monica, Calif.) deposited her second goal of the season to make it a 2-0 game.

Less than a minute later, Parker cut the deficit in half for her 11^th goal of the season on an assist from Tori Dodge (North Canaan, Conn.) as the Owls went into halftime trailing 2-1.

Seven minutes into the second half, Haynes scored her seventh goal on the year to push the Beacons lead up to two goals with 38 minutes to play in the game.

Parker and the Owls refused to go away, with the junior forward scoring her second goal of the night at the 58:02 mark, collecting a pass from Katie Slattery (Wilbraham, Mass.) along the sideline, then speeding towards the net while shielding the defender before launching a tight-angled shot towards the far post, catching the upper 90 to make it a 3-2 game.

The Owls eventually found the equalizer at the 65^th minute with Morgan Berthiaume (Webster, Mass.) settling a bouncing ball at the defensive 30 before striking a downfield pass where Parker managed to outrun two defenders, then deked Beacons keeper Isabella O'Connell (Abington, Mass.) and tapped a shot into the net to complete the hat trick.  

In the closing seconds of the game, UMass Boston had a dangerous scoring chance on a counterattack into the offensive zone with Owls keeper Kayla Santucci (Agawam, Mass.) making a diving save to preserve the draw. Santucci made six saves overall on the night. O'Connor stopped six shots on net for the Beacons as well.

Westfield held a slight 17-13 shots advantage in the contest, including a 10-9 shots on net edge.

Westfield State will remain on the road for a key conference battle as the Owls (4-0 MASCAC) travel to Bridgewater State (4-0 MASCAC) on Saturday at noon.