Westfield senior forward Lexi Minicucci, right, and Agawam senior defender Ashley Lockwood go stick-to-stick during Thursday’s game in Agawam. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
AGAWAM – The Westfield High School field hockey team’s season-long journey has come to a halt.
No. 4 Agawam held serve on a cold, wet day, defeating No. 5 Westfield 2-0 in the opening round of the Western Massachusetts Division I field hockey tournament Thursday. The Brownies reward: a matchup against the mighty Longmeadow Lancers.
Agawam scored its first goal about 10 minutes in when senior forward Alexis Vecchiarelli followed through with a score off a rebound. The lead remained until with 2:06 remaining, Anna Pellegrino sealed the deal with an insurance goal.
Westfield’s shots were few and far between until a late second-half surge. Still, Agawam goalie Jordyn Conway (7 saves) turned back every effort.
“Jordyn really shut us down,” Westfield coach Karen Gomez said. “Lexi Minicucci and Ashlee Owen were getting shots off. We didn’t capitalize.”
Early in the second half, Conway was given a huge lift from midfielder Nina Bruno, who stepped in front of an open net to thwart a game-tying Westfield shot.
Bombers goalie Karly Mastello, who finished with 18 saves, kept Westfield’s hopes alive for nearly all 60 minutes by making one big stop after another.
“Karly did a nice job in the cage,” Gomez said.
The Westfield coach also credited freshman Miranda Boudreau and sophomore Grace Silva for elevating their level of play against Agawam, as well as senior Mackenzie Millikan, who returned back to play after being smacked in the face with a ball.
“We didn’t bring it in the first half,” Owen said. “In the second half, we definitely stepped up. We just didn’t score enough.”
Owen will get a chance to exact revenge in the spring when she hits the field for girls’ lacrosse.
Minicucci, another senior who donned the field hockey gear for the last time, offered her thoughts after the loss.
“We worked hard all season,” Minicucci said. “It just didn’t end how we wanted it to … It was definitely a good year. We did a lot better than last year, and the year before.”
Minicucci will have less a reprieve than her teammate, Owen, as she will be on the basketball court this winter for the Bombers.
