Kayley Miller is presented the game ball by Sandy (Pinto) Graham. The Ludlow natives rank 1-2 on Westfield State’s career scoring list. (Photo by Mickey Curtis)
WESTFIELD – There’s a new all-time scoring leader at Westfield State University and it’s Kayley Miller.
Miller scored two second-half goals in the undefeated women’s soccer team (15-0-1; 6-0) 6-1 victory over Framingham State (6-8; 3-3) recently.
The senior scoring sensation from Ludlow now has 118 career points, surpassing the former school record of 116 which had been held for
Kayley Miller scores the record-setting goal.
15 years by Sandy (Pinto) Graham, also a Ludlow native. Pinto Graham, who was inducted into the Westfield Athletics Hall of Fame on Friday evening, was in attendance at the historic match and presented Miller with the game ball.
Miller tied the record with a beautiful crossing shot from 23 yards just inside the far post. Senior teammate Colleen Bazinet assisted on the record-tying goal that gave the Owls a 4-1 lead in the 56th minute.
With exactly 19 minutes remaining, Miller then scored the record-breaking goal when she slammed in a shot from short range following a rebound.
Kayley Miller scores the record-setting goal. (Photo by Mickey Curtis)
The other half of the M&M Girls from Ludlow – senior forward Brittanie McGregor – sparked the Owls in the early going. McGregor assisted on goals by sophomores Ashleigh Chretien and Colie Sambrook in a span of 25 seconds to give the Owls a 2-0. McGregor now has 13 assists this season, two shy of the school record.
Framingham cut the lead in half in the 31st minute on a wicked shot from 25 yards by Jess Latini.
McGregor made the score 3-1 in the 53rd minute with a brilliant extra effort goal when she barely beat the Framingham keeper to the ball and it rolled across the goal line.
Freshman Marisa Sprague scored the final Owl goal in the 74th minute with an assist from Emily Malone.
MEN’S SOCCER SHUT DOWN LASELL: Freshman forward Kevin Bengle of West Springfield tallied a goal and an assist to lead Westfield State University to a 2-0 men’s soccer victory over Lasell College on Wednesday evening.
It was a nice non-conference victory for Westfield as it handed Lasell (14-3) only its third loss in 17 games. The Owls own a 6-9-1 overall record heading into their regular season finale Saturday at Bridgewater State.
Bengle scored the game-winning goal in the 66th minute on a breakaway, with senior Jared Spicer delivering a nice assist.
Exactly a minute later, Westfield added an insurance goal when junior Matt O’Neill of Southwick scored on a header from close range with an assist by Bengle.
Westfield outshot Lasell, 14-11, and the Owls led in corner kicks, 3-1.
Lasell goalie Aren Moorman was credited with four saves.
BRIDGEWATER BESTS VOLLEYBALL TEAM: The Bridgewater State University volleyball team rebounded from an early deficit to defeat Westfield State University, 3-2, in Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) action on Wednesday evening at the Tinsley Center.
The win for the Bears secures the second seed and a first round bye in next week’s MASCAC Tournament. Bridgewater improves to 11-13 overall on the season and 5-1 in the MASCAC. The Owls (9-18, 4-2 MASCAC) are seeded third and will host sixth seeded MCLA in opening round play next Wednesday.
Bridgewater dropped the first set of the match 25-15 and trailed 18-8 in set two. The Bears then went on an 8-0 run and closed the set by outscoring the Owls 17-5 to post the 25-23 decision and even the match at 1-1.
Bridgewater took the 2-1 lead with a 25-21 win, but Westfield stayed alive with a 25-23 decision to send the match to a fifth and deciding set.
In the fifth set, Bridgewater jumped out to a 7-1 lead and was never seriously threatened as the Bears came away with the 15-6 decision to win the match.
Reigning MASCAC Player of the Week, junior setter Melanie Appleman, paced the host Bears with 39 assists, 15 digs, two kills and an ace. Freshman outside hitter Carolyn Morin led all players with 14 kills to go along with six digs.
Along with Morin’s 14 kills, junior middle hitter Michelle Atkins added nine kills as well as two assisted blocks, while freshman middle hitter Julie Hutchins finished with eighth kills and a pair of blocks (one solo).
The Bears totaled 94 digs in the match led by junior libero Kristen Robillard’s match-best 26. Junior outside hitter Danielle Dean added 16 digs in addition to seven kills and a pair of aces. Sophomore outside hitter Sarah Mullarkey chipped in with 15 digs to go along with five kills, an ace and two assisted blocks.
Sophomore Lisa Vega and juniors Emily Boyer and Chelsea Correia all played well of the bench for the Bears. Vega registered 10 digs, while Boyer notched five kills, six assists and four digs. Correia led all players with three aces.
Junior outside hitter Julia Warner tallied 12 kills, 12 digs, a pair of aces and two assisted blocks for the visiting Owls. Sophomore middle hitter Alyssa Danilow posted 11 kills and six blocks (two solo), while freshman setter Stana Wheeler garnered 31 assists 10 ten digs.
Junior outside hitter Lindsay Rescott added nine kills and 11 digs for Westfield, while junior libero Kayleigh Shea chipped in with 19 digs.
In upcoming action, the Bears will compete at the Rhodes College Halloween Spookfest on Friday and Saturday in Memphis, Tennessee. The Owls will compete at the Brandeis University Invitational also on Friday and Saturday.
