Westfield celebrates. (Photo by Chris Putz)
WEST SPRINGFIELD – You might have thought the Westfield High School girls’ soccer team had just won an election, storming Clark Field in celebration after pulling off an incredible shocker last night.
Amy Wardner scored in sudden death shootout to lift seventh-seeded Westfield past the No. 2 West Springfield Terriers 2-1 in the Western Massachusetts Division I quarterfinals. Bombers’ senior goalie Amelia Tooker made the final save.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Tooker. “I didn’t know what was going on. I just stayed focused, and wanted it. This is what we’ve been working for. They have a great soccer team; we wanted it more.”
Yesterday, Tooker turned away all but one shot in 100 minutes (two 40-minute halves, two 10-minute overtime periods), a ball which took a tricky hop resulting in a West Springfield goal in the 48th minute. But the senior goalie, who posted four straight shutouts down the stretch, stood strong in goal and made the plays when it mattered most. She finished with 20 saves.
Westfield (11-6-3) did not fall behind for long.
With 30 minutes, 35 seconds remaining in regulation, Caroline Senecal tied the game up on a pass from Karly Diltz. Both teams held serve through the next 50-plus minutes, leading to the shootout.
In the shootout, Lindsay Stefano, Jessie Pratt, Serena McConkey, Becca Sullivan, and finally, Wardner each converted penalty kicks.
“You hate to see it come down to penalty kicks,” Westfield coach Keith Saltmarsh said. “We have so much respect for their staff, but I am equally impressed with our girls. We got a little lax and a wrong bounce, but we answered properly.”
Saltmarsh said he was extremely pleased with Pratt’s play at center-back.
West Springfield goalie Shelby Hall finished with 25 saves. The Terriers finish 10-4-4.
