Westfield State captains, left to right, Jon Principato, Jared Spicer and Bill Reagan proudly hold the MASCAC championship trophy. (Courtesy of Westfield State University sports)
SALEM -The third-seeded Westfield State Owls upset the top-seeded Salem State Vikings 3-0 on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 4, to claim the 2012 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference Men’s Soccer Championship at Alumni Field.
Westfield State (9-9-2) earns their first conference crown since 2006, and will now represent the MASCAC in the NCAA Tournament next weekend. The Owls of first-year head coach John Evans are peaking at the right time as they have only allowed one goal (on penalty kick) in the past five games.
Salem State, which has reached the conference title game the past four years, ends their season with an 11-7-1 record.
The Owls were able to strike early when Jon Principato (Stoneham, MA) beat the defense and headed a cross from Bill Lund (Monson).
Bill Lund receives the tournament MVP trophy from Westfield State associate athletics director Nancy Bals as head coach John Evans look on. Photos courtesy of Salem State
MA) in the 7th minute.
The Vikings’ almost tied the score in the 20th minute when Saimir Zepaj (Peabody, MA) passed to Matt Figueiredo (Wilmington, MA) whose header went just wide. Westfield State missed a scoring chance later in the half when Matt O’Neill (Southwick, MA) countered with a rocket at point-blank range, but Salem State goalie Scott Hall (Waltham, MA) made a terrific stop to preserve the 1-0 score.
The Owls later increased their lead to 2-0 when Dan Brady (Wilbraham, MA) put a loose ball in front of the Vikings’ goal into the back of the net to give his team the lead at halftime. Westfield State dominated possession in the first half, and controlled the tempo by limiting the Vikings’ leading-scorer Eryk Fernandez (Nipomo, CA) to just one shot on goal in the half.
Salem State came out strong in the second half, but Fernandez was denied when Owl’s goalie Kris Carrington (Agawam, MA) made a finger-tip save on a shot attempt into the top right corner. Westfield State played strong on the back end and limited the Vikings scoring chances until Zepaj had another opportunity for Salem State, but his shot just arced over the crossbar with Salem State still trailing 2-0 late in the period.
Westfield State’s O’Neill finally put the game away when he assisted Mike Stackhouse (Wakefield, MA) on a score in the 86th minute, which secured the 3-0 the win.
Hall gave a strong effort in net for the Vikings with six saves while the Owls’ Carrington stopped five shots in the shutout. Salem State held a slight 15-13 edge in shots, and took five corners to Westfield State’s two.
Bill Lund (Monson, MA) of the Owls was named the 2012 MASCAC Tournament MVP.
Westfield State captains, left to right: Colleen Bazinet, Brittanie McGregor, Kayley Miller and Leann Rivard proudly display the championship trophy. (Photo courtesy of Westfield State University sports)
WESTFIELD WOMEN TOURNAMENT BOUND: The Westfield State University women’s soccer team scored two first-half goals and received a stellar effort from goalie and tournament MVP Jess Habif to defeat Bridgewater State University, 2-0, in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship game on Sunday afternoon, Nov. 4.
The undefeated Owls (18-0-1) earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Division III national tournament for the second straight year and for the fourth time in five years by capturing the MASCAC tournament title. Bridgewater, the No. 3 seed, finishes 9-9-3.
“We did what we had to do today, especially defensively,” said Westfield State head coach Todd Ditmar. “And Jess Habif came up with some huge saves.”
Habif, a junior from Natick (Holliston High School) finished with four saves but three of stops snuffed out major Bridgewater scoring threats. She stopped a point-blank shot just outside the post with seven minutes remaining in the first half and gathered in a loose ball off a free kick scramble early in the second half.
Habif biggest save came with six minutes remaining in the game when she dove to snag a blind shot on a free kick by Bridgewater’s Mackenzie Hatfield (Whitman, MA) just outside the box, with a wall of players directly in front of Owl keeper.
Habif and the Owl defense, which includes two freshmen and four sophomore starters, have allowed only seven goals in 19 games this season.
Unlike many of its games this season, the Owls scored early in the championship match. Sophomore forward Colie Sambrook (Naugatuck, CT) scored the game-winning goal on a scramble near the post in the fourth minute. Sophomores Ashleigh Chretien (North Attleboro, MA) and Sarah Sypek (Westhampton, MA) were credited with assists.
Westfield scored its second goal in the 35th minute on a well-executed play. Sophomore Ali Blanchette (Palmer, MA) had a free kick near the 40 and she slipped a pass down the right sideline past the wall of players. Freshman Marisa Sprague (Dalton, MA) took the perfect lead pass hammered it into the net.
Westfield outshot Bridgewater, 20-7, including a 14-3 edge in the first half. Westfield also dominated the corner kicks, 9-1. Bridgewater keepers Kerry Condon (Whitman, MA) and Kristen Rowe (Burlington, MA) each had three saves.
OWLS CLAIM SEASON FINALE: Junior reserve running back Brian Beauchemin (Orange, Mass./Mahar Regional HS) rushed for 93 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries to lead Westfield State University to a 14-9 victory over Fitchburg State in the regular season football finale on Saturday, Nov. 3.
Westfield completed the 2012 season with a 3-7 overall record and a 2-5 mark in the Bogan Division of the New England Football Conference. Fitchburg finished 2-8 and 1-6.
The Owls were trailing 3-0 and struggling offensively midway through the second quarter when Beauchemin was inserted into the backfield. He immediately sparked the Owls by running for 25 yards on four consecutive plays. The drive ended with a 38-yard field goal that was just wide left, but Westfield scored on its next possession to take a 7-3 lead with 48 seconds left in the first half.
Westfield’s first-half touchdown drive was led by junior receiver Kane Terilli, who finished with a game-high eight catches for 126 yards. Terilli caught three passes for 72 yards on the scoring drive, including a five-yard TD pass. The big play, however, was a 53-yard pass from freshman quarterback to Terilli that placed the ball at the Falcon four.
Led by the hard running of Beauchemin, the Owls scored early in the third quarter to take a 14-3 lead. Beauchemin carried the ball four times for 38 yards on the 58-yard scoring drive. The 5-11, 210-pound back bowled over several Fitchburg defenders when he scored on a 28-yard touchdown romp.
Fitchburg struck for a quick touchdown early in the fourth quarter for the game’s final points on a 76-yard scoring strike from quarterback Christian Lopez to Ty Spencer. The pass failed for the two-point conversion.
On their next possession, the Falcons moved to the Owl 37 when Westfield senior cornerback Mike Szydlowski came up with the defensive play of the game as he intercepted a pass as the Westfield 30 and returned it 24 yards.
Westfield then controlled the ball for 14 plays to run out the final 6:32 on the clock. Beauchemin carried the ball eight times on the decisive drive. The Owls did attempt a 23-yard field goal that was wide right with 1:44 remaining, but the Falcons were flagged for running into the kicker. Westfield retained possession at the Fitchburg 3 and ran out the clock as the visitors had burned their timeouts.
The statistics were fairly even as Westfield compiled 295 yards in total offense to Fitchburg’s 290. Washburn completed 14 of 31 passes for 174 yards, while Lopez connected on 12 of 24 passes for 187 yards. Spencer had five catches for a game-high 151 receiving yards. In addition to his 76-yard TD catch, Spencer had a 51-yard reception on the Fitchburg’s first drive of the game that set up Eric Anastasio’s 24-yard field goal.
Fitchburg sophomore Steph’fon Teague tied Beauchemin for game-high rushing honors with 93 yards on 20 carries.
Westfield defensive back Gregg Jackson posted a team-high 11 tackles and senior end Chris “C-Walk” Walker had four tackles for losses including two sacks.
Sophomore linebacker Talib Barksdale led Fitchburg with 11 tackles (7 solos, 2 for losses).
VOLLEYBALLERS ELIMINATED: The top seed Framingham State University volleyball team defeated the second seed Bridgewater State University Bears 3-0 in the championship game to claim their first Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Volleyball Tournament Championship on Saturday, Nov. 3.
Framingham will now head to the NCAA tournament with the MASCAC’s automatic bid.
The Rams (24-9) were able to defeat the Vikings of Salem State University in one semifinal match earlier in the day to earn a spot in the championship game.
In the most exciting match of the day, featuring the two teams that have combined for the past 12 MASCAC Championships was the second semifinal. Bridgewater overcame a 2-0 deficit to stun the third seed Westfield State University Owls in 5-sets (3-2) to advance to the finals.
Junior setter Melanie Appleman (Hyannis, Mass.) sparked the comeback but after the game credited all the success to junior middle-hitter Michelle Atkins (Chelsea, Mass.). “She killed it for us, and we just fed off that,” Appleman said.
Atkins led the Bears with a match-high 19 kills, while freshman Carolyn Morin (Marston Mills, Mass.) added 16 and 11 digs. Appleman finished with 38 assists and 22 digs, while Kristen Robillard (Swansea, Mass.) and Sarah Mullarkey (Salem, Mass.) added 18 and 16 digs.
Expect Westfield to be back in the thick of things next season with their entire roster expected to return. Freshman setter Stana Wheeler (Sunderland, Mass.) had 44-assists for the Owls despite the loss. Junior Julia Warner (Lee, Mass.) had a team-high 14 kills, while sophomore Carole Duquette (Feeding Hills, Mass.) had 10.
The head coach for Westfield, Fred Glanville spoke positively after the game despite the heart-breaking loss saying, “If you play hard you can’t get upset over that. We have to continue to work hard and stay positive. Good things happen if you work hard.”
Framingham only needed three-sets to eliminate the Vikings, as Tournament MVP Andressa Fernandes (Framingham, Mass.) finished with 12 kills.
Despite the loss, Salem State head coach Bruno Tramontozzi was proud of his ladies effort. “It was the first time in 10-years making the tournament and we gained a lot of good experience,” Tramontozzi said.
Salem State junior Jazmin Santos (Lawrence, Mass.) had six kills for the Vikings in the match, while senior Brittany Roscoe (Lowell, Mass.) chipped in four. Senior MacKenzie Carpenter (Peabody, Mass.) added 12 assists, while junior Nicole Roscoe (Lowell, Mass.) contributed 14 digs.
Fernandes led the Rams with 12 kills in the day’s first match, while sophomore Ashley Nee (Hanson, Mass.) chipped in nine and freshman Danielle Girard (Tivoli, NY) eight. Sophomore Kassandra Jermyn (Auburn, Mass.) racked up 27 assists, while sophomore Courtney Wilbur (Braintree, Mass.) and Nee led the defensive effort with 16 and 15 digs respectively.
In the championship game, the Rams used the energy from the home-crowd to defeat the Bears in three sets. Despite lopsided scores in the first two sets, the Bears would not quit and gave the Rams everything they had tying the third game at 24-24.
However, Fernandes added a huge kill, on a day where she eclipsed 1,000 for her career, to put the Rams back in control. A Bridgewater error on the next play would seal the victory and advance the Rams to the NCAA Tournament.
Head coach of the Bears, Liz Morris said after the game, “Overall I felt we played outstanding all day. We lost some momentum and we were tired from the game before. We have to find a way to internally motivate ourselves when that happens.”
Fernandes picked up 18 kills in the Championship Match to go along with 10 digs, while Girard chipped in 10 kills and nine digs. Jermyn had 34 assists for the Rams in the match and Nee added 18-digs.
Head coach for the Rams, Richard Casali spoke after the tournament saying. “I thought we’d win this thing. We’re very young so I thought it would take about a month to get things going.”
The Bears were led by Morin in the finals who picked up 10 kills and a pair of aces, while Appleman finished with four kills, 12 assists and eight digs. Junior Danielle Dean (Gilford, NH) chipped in 11 digs, while Robillard added nine.
