The Westfield State University Owls display the championship plaque they captured at the Castleton State Tournament. (Photo courtesy of Castleton State College)
CASTLETON, VT. – Castleton State rallied for two late goals to tie Westfield State, 2-2, with the Owls then prevailing in the shootout to capture the championship of the Rutland Herald Invitational on Sunday at Spartan Stadium.
Castleton earned the draw with the Owls despite being outshot 34-14 in the contest and 29-11 during regulation. Though the Spartans officially get the draw in the game, they did lose the Rutland Herald Invitational by way of a shootout after the conclusion of both overtimes. Westfield, which received votes in the latest NSCAA Coaches national poll, earned the title by way of its 5-4 victory in that series of penalty kicks.
Freshman Kaleigh Newton was outstanding in net, playing all 110 minutes and making a career-high 15 saves to keep the visitors at bay. Classmate Emily Osmer found herself in the middle of a pair of goals, assisting on both Castleton’s scores.
In the first half, the Owls applied immediate pressure with a good chance in the eighth minute, when Colleen Bazinet connected on a header that was destined for the back of the net. Newton jumped up and barely got both hands on the ball to make the tough save.
In the 15th minute, the Spartans got their first good attempt. Freshman Mallory Costello fired in a cross from the near baseline inside the 18 to the middle of six for Sami Ritter, whose one-timer was stopped by a diving attempt by Jess Habif.
The Owls broke through in the 37th minute, on a nice play by Kayley Miller. Miller got past her defender and took the ball down the near sideline, creating a 2-on-1 opportunity with Colie Sambrook. Miller drew the defender at the corner of the 18 and slipped a pass to the charging Sambrook in the middle of the field and she took one dribble before firing a shot past Newton into the upper near corner of the net.
Westfield added to its advantage in the 53rd minute. Brittanie McGregor dribbled the ball along the far baseline before firing a cross to the middle of the six for Ashley Bovat of Westfield. Bovat one-timed the pass for her third goal of the season.
Kayle Miller receives the tournament MVP award from Tom Haley, a reporter for the Rutland Herald newspaper that sponsored the Castleton State College women’s soccer tournament. (Photo courtesy of Castleton State College)
Castleton cut the Owl lead in half at the 74:20 mark. Osmer took control of the ball at the near side of the 18 and chipped a cross toward the far corner of the net. Jillian Fifield charged the net on a full sprint and hit the ball into the far corner before Habif could react.
Just 35 seconds later, the Spartans tied it up with Osmer creating the opportunity. The freshman fired a pass to Hannah Corkum in the middle of the field 25 yards out. She took one touch, turned and fired a ball that hit the crossbar before dropping in behind the goal line for the equalizer.
Despite their continued pressure, the Spartans could not strike again in regulation, so the tilt went into extra time. Throughout the two ten-minute periods, both teams played evenly with Westfield State edging Castleton in shots, 5-3.
After ruling the game a 2-2 draw the two teams headed to a shootout to decide the winner of the Invitational.
Spartans Jenna Bostwick, Costello, Kelsey Lenney, and Sarah Ethier netted goals during the shootout while Newton stopped one of six Westfield State penalties.
With the Spartans trailing 5-4 in the shootout, freshman Sami Ritter stepped up for the Spartans to face Habif in net. The freshman ripped a shot to the lower left corner of the net, but Habif made a sensational diving stop to seal the victory and the championship for the Owls.
With the tie, the Spartans move to 2-2-1 on the season and will return to action tomorrow when they host MCLA at 7 p.m. Westfield 4-0-1, completes is sixth-game road stretch tomorrow when they travel to Chicopee to play Elms College.
Westfield state midfielders Ashley Bovat, a WHS grad, and Sarah Sypek, and goalie Jess Habif were named to the All-Tournament team, and forward Kayley Miller won the MVP award.
Elmira scored a goal late in the first half and that proved to be the difference as the Soaring Eagles beat Smith 1-0 in the consolation game of the Rutland Inviational Tournament at Spartan Stadium.
