KATE MATRONI
BRIDGEWATER – Junior midfielder Kate Matroni (Hampden, Mass.) tallied a goal and two assists to lead the visiting Westfield State University women’s soccer team to a 3-0 victory over Bridgewater State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest on Saturday afternoon at Swenson Field.
The Owls improve to 8-6-1 on the season and 4-1-1 in the MASCAC standings, while the Bears dropped to 9-6 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
Junior midfielder Nicole Gay (Hatfield, Mass.) headed in a cross from Matroni in the 31st minute to give the Owls the 1-0 first half lead. The goal marked Gay’s first of the season.
Westfield took the 1-0 lead into the intermission as the Owls outshot the Bears, 11-5, over the first 45 minutes.
Matroni extended the Westfield advantage to 2-0 less than eight minutes into the second half with her fifth goal of the 2015 campaign as she knocked home the rebound of a Christina Buonopane (Stoneham, Mass.) shot.
Senior forward Amanda Magri (Hampden, Mass.) made it a 3-0 game as she one-timed a cross from Matroni in the 65th minute of play. For Magri, the goal was her second of the year.
In the 88th minute, freshman forward Lauren Farrell (Rockland, Mass.) had two great chances to pot the Owls’ fourth goal on a breakaway opportunity, but was stoned twice by BSU sophomore goaltender Lauren DeSousa (Taunton, Mass.).
Westfield junior netminder Anne Stack (East Longmeadow, Mass.) made five saves as she recorded her sixth win of the season as well as her sixth shutout.
DeSousa turned aside eight shots between the pipes for the Bears.
The Owls finished with a 21-14 shot advantage as well as an 8-6 edge in corner kicks.
In upcoming action, the Bears host UMass Boston on Tuesday afternoon at three, while the Owls entertain Keene State College on Wednesday night at seven.
