Westfield’s Ashlee Owen dribbles the ball during a regular season contest. (Photo by Chris Putz)
WESTFIELD – The Westfield High School field hockey team is blazing toward the postseason.
Westfield is now one victory away from securing a spot in the Western Massachusetts playoffs, following a 3-0 win over visiting West Springfield Friday. The Bombers host Mohawk Monday at 3:30 p.m.
“The Bombers played like a team,” Westfield coach Karen Gomez said of Friday’s victory. “I’m very proud of the team.”
Ashlee Owen had a hand in all three Westfield goals. Owen provided the team with a 2-0 first-half lead with two goals, the second of which came on an assist from freshman Miranda Boudreau in her first varsity start.
In the second half, Owen set up Lexi Minicucci for a comfortable 3-0 advantage.
Karly Mastello (1 save) and Jenna Rothermel (1 save) combined for a shutout in net for the Bombers.
JV RESULTS
Westfield 5, West Springfield 1
Sophomore Captain Grace Silva had an incredible offensive day leading the WHS Junior Varsity Field Hockey Team to a 5-1 victory over visiting West Springfield High School.
Silva connected on a strong cross from Julia Rowbotham to start the scoring at 28:35. She drilled her second goal of the game off the pads of the West Side Goalkeeper at 20:28. Jordan Bower scored the last goal of the first half unassisted at 16:32 to put the Lady Bombers up 3-0 at the half.
Goalkeeper Eliza Colson saw no action from the Lady Terriers in the first half, which was not the case for teammate Alexis Corcoran.
West Springfield started off strong in the second half with a goal immediately scored at 29:09. Bower answered back with her second goal of the game when Liz Poteat sent her an awesome assist that made it easy to find the cage. Silva then achieved her hat trick at 24:06 with a timely feed from Alexis Shia.
While Colson played the entire second half as a field player, Corcoran made one save in goal. The junior varsity team remains unbeaten at home, and are 10-1-1 overall.
“(Westfield) can be proud of their 10-1-1 record thus far,” Bombers coach Linda Rowbotham said. “I am totally impressed with this group of girls. They have embraced every play that we have trained in practice and have learned so much since the start of the season. They are high caliber athletes who train to win.”
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Agawam 3, Southwick-Tolland 2
Paige Cool and Hailee Hart scored one goal apiece for Southwick. Cool and Amber Knobbs each assisted.
Sarah Crades led Agawam with two goals. Morgan Gasey had one.
Brownies’ goalie Becca Uschmann (1 save) and Jess Lingendurg (2 saves) earned the win in net.
Meg Zabik had eight saves, and Tori Richburg finished with six for Southwick.
GIRLS’ SOCCER
JV RESULTS
Agawam 3, Southwick-Tolland 2
Sophomore Emma Conroy and freshman Aliviah Raymond scored their first high school goals for Southwick-Tolland Regional. Rams’ Megan Drzwicki and McKenzie Frey each earned one assist.
BOYS’ SOCCER
Westfield Voc-Tech 5, Smith Voke 0
WESTFIELD – Voc-Tech continues to roll through the competition.
Dimitry Stepanchuk recorded a hat trick, and Mike Brut and Alex Makarchuk scored one goal apiece in the Tigers’ five-goal home shutout.
Dominic Rosario (2), Tyler Hall, Vitaly Melnik, and Roman Tikhonchuk earned assists.
Voc-Tech’s Vitaly Covileac and Brut combined to earn a shutout in net, while Tigers’ subs Matt Secklecki, Jon Goretsky, and Tikhonchuk played well with a good portion of playing time.
Adam Guilbert, Cole Provost, Matt Wood, and Vlad Iysyanyy anchored Voc-Tech’s defense.
Westfield 2, Holyoke 2
WESTFIELD – Westfield rallied from a 2-0 deficit at the half to escape with a tie against visiting Holyoke. Eric Shilyuk and David Kennedy scored for the Bombers. Matt Butera assisted on both plays.
GIRLS’ VOLLEYBALL
Southwick 3, Smith Voke 1
Anna Pickard helped spur Southwick’s 25-15, 25-19, 20-25, 25-11 home victory Friday with 5 kills, 2 digs, and an ace in her first game back from injury. It was her season debut.
Hanna Sitler (11 aces, 6 kills), Lexi DeGray (4 aces, 5 assists), and Millan Andreoli (3 kills) also played well for the Rams.
