Westfield High’s Chandler Pedolzky (9) gets a congratulatory hug from Catie Bean after scoring the first goal in Monday’s game against Agawam High at Bullens Field. (MARC ST.ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
WESTFIELD – This is the one time where the sequel was nearly as good as the original.
For the umpteenth time in their storied past, Westfield High School girls soccer players Chandler Pedolzky and Catie Bean proved to come up with the winning combination. On Monday night, both players each scored one goal, connecting on one score as the Bombers unlocked another victory in defeating the Agawam Brownies 2-0 at Bullens Field.
It was Westfield’s game from start to finish.
Westfield led 1-0 six minutes, 53 seconds into the first quarter when Pedolzky collected a ball from Autumn Lalli and squeezed a shot just inside the opposite post from 18 feet out.
Bean nearly made it 2-0 a short time later when she took the lead on a partial breakaway, drilling a bullet toward the net. The Agawam goalie came out of goal though to deflect it away, keeping the Brownies within shouting distance of a tie.
The relentless effort continued to pay off for Westfield though.
Late in the third quarter, Pedolzky slipped a pass out front through the Agawam defense while on the run. The ball found Bean, who chipped it in for a 2-0 advantage.
With the shutout on the line and Agawam on the move deep in Westfield territory, Hannah Colon flashed in from seemingly out of nowhere to force a key breakup of a pass in the box, thwarting the Brownies’ attempt.
Westfield goalie Morgan Fillion chalked up another shutout in net.
With the victory, Westfield secured at least a share of first place in its respective “bubble.” Despite not having a tournament to compete in this season due to coronavirus concerns, it has been another banner year for the defending Western Massachusetts Division 1 girls soccer champion Bombers.
Westfield went on yet another run and Pedolzky celebrated her 100th point in a victory against Holyoke.
Their success is unlikely to end in the Whip City as Pedolzky will attend the University of Massachusetts on a full scholarship. Bean and Chandler’s twin sister, Emma are headed for Bryant.
BOYS SOCCER
Bombers late rally falls short
Agawam 3, Westfield 2
Westfiled’s T.J. Liquori scored on a pair of free kick goals in the third quarter, but the Bombers comeback attempt fell just short in Agawam.
“It felt like a playoff game, which is all we can ask for,” said Westfield boys soccer coach Andrew Joseph, whose Bombers wrapped up the season with a 6-2 record. “I’m happy these seniors could go out in a game that felt like it meant something.”
