Senior Brittanie McGregor continued her stellar play with two goals vs. Eastern Connecticut. (Photo by Mickey Curtis)
WILLIMANTIC, Conn. – The Ludlow Connection of seniors Brittanie McGregor (2 goals) and Kayley Miller (1 goal, 1 assist) carried the undefeated Westfield State University women’s soccer team to a 3-1 victory over Eastern Connecticut State University yesterday afternoon.
Westfield State, ranked fifth in the New England Division III poll, boosted its record to 7-0-1. Eastern Connecticut drops to 3-2-1.
McGregor scored the game-winning goal against Eastern Connecticut for the second straight year. McGregor had tied the match late in the first half and put the Owls ahead for good with her sixth goal of the season 17 minutes into the second half.
On her first goal, McGregor received a ground ball from Miller then took a low shot from the right wing which carried across the box and settled inside the left post.
McGregor’s game-winner came when she redirected Leann Rivard’s free kick from inside eight yards.
The Owls added an insurance goal with 47 second remaining in regulation when Miller scored on an 18-yard open blast. Courtney Wood was credited with the assist.
Westfield outshot Eastern, 18-14, and Owl goalie Jess Habif had four saves.
The Owls are on the road again this Saturday when they play a conference game at Fitchburg State. Eight of Westfield’s first nine matches are on the road.
WSU MEN FALL IN OT: Junior Kevin Parma scored the game-tying goal in the 87th minute and freshman Colin Macdonald tallied the decisive goal in the 98th minute to rally Western New England University to a 2-1 overtime victory over Westfield State University in non-conference men’s soccer action yesterday evening.
WNE improved its record to 4-3-1 while Westfield dropped to 2-3-1.
Westfield, which was outshot, 22-6 in the game, played Western New England on nearly even terms in the first half when the Owls were outshot, 5-4.
Westfield took a 1-0 lead in the 30th minute when Bill Reagan rifled a shot just inside the right post.
The Golden Bears outshot Westfield, 14-2, in the second stanza and they finally got on the scoreboard with 3:24 left in.
Westfield goalie Keith Hevey came out to make a save in traffic, fell forward and dropped the ball. Parma corralled the loose ball and calmly placed it between the pipes for his game-tying goal.
Westfield was forced to play a man down the remainder of the game as Hevey argued that he had been hit while making the save and he was flagged with a yellow then a red card.
The Golden Bears’ game-winning goal was set up by a nice pass from Chad Barrett to Macdonald on the right side. Macdonald had a nice angle on backup Westfield keeper Kris Carrington, settled the ball, and calmly punched it over the goalie’s head to end the game.
