Westfield State’s Hannah Zannini attacks while Worcester State’s Christina Spinos defends. The Owls and Lancers played to a 0-0 overtime draw. (Photo courtesy of Westfield State University Sports)
WESTFIELD – Westfield State and Worcester State played to a 0-0 overtime draw in a women’s soccer match between two of the top schools in the conference at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon.
Worcester State is now 5-6-1 overall and 4-0-1 in the MASCAC, while Westfield is 6-5-2 and 3-1-1 and one game back in the conference standings. The two schools have met for the conference title in each of the last two seasons, splitting those title tilts.
Westfield held a 14-5 advantage in shots on goal, and an 8-6 edge in corner kicks.
The Owls generated the better of the offensive pressure in the first of the two 10-minute overtime halves. Westfield senior forward Hannah Zannini (Amesbury, Mass.) had a shot from the top of the penalty area with 1:25 left that was saved by Worcester State goalkeeper Vanessa O’Donnell (Burncoat/Worcester, Mass.), and Westfield’s Kate Matroni (Minnechaug/Wilbraham, Mass.) got a weak shot on goal that O’Donnell saved with 20 seconds left in the frame.
Worcester generated a couple of scoring chances in the second half of overtime, with Jenna Martin (Central Catholic/Salem, N.H.) getting a high-looping shot in the middle of the penalty area off the remnants of a corner kick which was saved by Westfield State goalkeeper Natalia Falcone (Sutton, Mass.) with 7:53 left in the game.
Westfield’s Bella Eduardo (Chicopee/Springfield, Mass.) had a free kick opportunity from 25 yards out with just over four minutes to play, which was easily saved by O’Donnell.
The Lancers earned a corner kick with 2:45 to play but did not get a scoring opportunity off of the kick. Finally, Worcester put a long ball into the penalty area with two minutes left but Westfield’s Falcone came off her line to challenge for the ball and was fouled, ending the Lancers threat.
O’Donnell finished with 14 saves for Worcester, while Falcone stopped five shots for Westfield.
Westfield State will next host Brandeis in a non-conference match on Wednesday night, while Worcester will host Salem State in a MASCAC match next Saturday. – Courtesy of Westfield State University Sports
