Westfield’s Emma Pedro (11) drives the ball through Pittsfield defenders to score a third goal early in the second half of a girls soccer game Wednesday. (MARC ST.ONGE/THE WESTFIELD NEWS)
WESTFIELD – Milana Camilleri scored twice and Emma Pedro had a hand in three scores, scoring once and assisting on two others to help the Westfield High School girls soccer team net a sorely needed victory Wednesday at home. The Bombers turned back Pittsfield, 4-1.
“Overall, I feel like we did a lot better than we did in the past,” Pedro said, referring to the team’s early season struggles. “It’s a lot easier when we pass.”
Pedro set up Camilleri for the game’s first score in the fourth minute with a nice through ball. Camilleri completed the play by lofting a nice floater into the net from about 18 yards out.
“I just ran on an angle,” Camilleri said. (Emma) slipped me in, I got my head up and looked for the far post.”
Pittsfield attempted to counter with a goal of its own in the following minutes but Westfield goalie Anna Chrisanthopoulos came up with three straight saves. The Bombers nearly doubled up their lead midway through the half when Pedro struck a ringing shot into the upper left corner of the cross bar that ricocheted up and down and out of goal.
With 16:36 remaining in the half, Camilleri scored her second goal to put Westfield up 2-0. Ella Santaniello assisted. Santaniello almost made it 3-0 a short time after when she faked out a defender with a nice move, dribbling and shooting before it was corralled by the goalie. Pedro nearly scored too with a successful stutter-step, but in the end that attempt was also thwarted by Pittsfield.
Pedro notched her second point of the game with 1:37 left in the half, setting up Ryan Prystowski for the score. In the first minute of the second half, Pedro tacked on an insurance goal. Riley Byrnes assisted.
“We just have to work as a team,” Pedro said. “Once we do that, goals will just start to come and we’ll get more opportunities.”
Pittsfield spoiled the shutout with a goal in the 45th minute. Despite yielding the score, Chrisanthopoulos continued to shine. Westfield’s goalie made three diving saves, including a spectacular one on a penalty kick in the final moments of the contest.
“My coach gave me a little trick and I lucked out I guess,” Chrisanthopoulos explained.
One year removed from fielding quite possibly one of their best championship-caliber squads ever, Westfield (2-4) is now rooted in learning from the ground up.
“We had a couple years of a really strong, competitive culture,” Westfield High School girls soccer coach Ryan Lavner said. “Now all those kids are gone with the exception of only a few. …Normally three or four freshmen come in and there’s 16 others that already know the deal. We have five or six kids and a senior that did not play last year and all new kids. So to them, it’s now their group.”
The Bombers head coach said he is trying to instill the right behavior and establish new goals for this year’s unit.
“It’s how you’re warming up, how you’re treating the community,” coach Lavner said. “We’re closer than the scores show but we need everything to go right and we need to play basically perfect to have a chance. Other teams that have more upperclassmen can gamble and take situations. We go into every game like it’s a playoff game and win as many as possible. We’re definitely getting better as the season goes and we’ll get better each year from now on.”
BOYS SOCCER
Ribiero, Smith and Mocanu score for first time in Tigers’ rout
Westfield Technical Academy 9, Pioneer Valley Christian School 0
Westfield Tech’s Isaac Ribiero scored his first career goal on a beautiful run from midfield, blasting the ball upper 90 degrees from just inside the box. Senior fullback Alec Smith and senior goalie Liviu Mocanu were also able to net their first goals of the season.
“Everyone split equal playing time,” Westfield Tech coach Kyle Dulude said. “It was great seeing everyone support each other.”
Hedges, Vinesett lead Rams in shutout
Southwick 4, Monson 0
Ashton Hedges scored two goals and Brennen Vinesett assisted with three as Southwick shut out Monson. Rams’ Nick Michaels and Aidan Moore also scored one goal apiece.
GIRLS VOLLEYBALL
Bombers sweep net sixth straight win
Westfield def. Pittsfield, 25-17, 25-10, 25-15
Livia Ciubotaru (7 kills), Lauren Carnes (16 kills, 8 aces, 3 digs), Piper Ashton (4 kills, 5 aces), Abbie Menzel (28 assists, 2 aces, 2 digs), and Kaitlin Price (5 aces, 8 digs) contributed to Westfield’s latest victory. The Bombers improved to 6-0 (4-0 Eastern).
Rams sweep Red Raiders
Southwick def. Commerce, 25-21, 25-18, 25-17
Gillian Borque (8 aces, 1 kill, 17 assists, 1 dig), Lina Carr (4 aces, 4 kills, 6 digs), Aniya Kamara (1 ace, 7 kills, 5 digs), Georgiana Andrade (2 kills), Emily Hanifan (6 kills, 2 digs), Mia Pompi (3 aces, 2 kills, 6 digs), and Emily Buchter (2 aces, 10 digs) led Southwick.
BOYS CROSS COUNTRY
Smith Vocational 21, Westfield Technical Academy 35
Smith Voke swept the top three spots to defeat Westfield Tech. Senior Carter Slack finished first for the Tigers in 16:46. He was followed by fellow teammates Bobby Crean (16:47), Henry Wildman (17:13), Paul Thompson (17:34), and Sean Cronin (17:50).
Other finishers for Westfield Tech included: Xavior Barros (18:09), Ryan Goyette (18:11), Nadeef Kahn (23:46), Jack Sarat (23:13), and Jeff Robinson (26:18).
HAWLEY PACES GIRLS: Kaytlin Hawley paced the Westfield Tech girls cross country team with an 18:10 finish. She was followed by Ashley Metcalf and Morgan Chaffee, who finished with times of 21:10 and 23:31, respectively.
FIELD HOCKEY
Tigers silence Rams
South Hadley 2, Southwick 0
Southwick goalie Ezri Johnston collected 12 saves.
