Westfield Voc-Tech’s Laxmi Basnet, left, and St. Mary’s Seamus Butler battle for a loose ball during Tuesday night’s game under the lights of Bullens Field. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
WESTFIELD – The Westfield Vocational-Technical High School boys’ soccer team could not have ever asked for a better senior night.
Westfield Voc-Tech shut out St. Mary 5-0 at Bullens Field Tuesday evening to remain unbeaten at 15-0, and, more importantly, clinch the Tri-County League championship.
“It’s great to bring a soccer championship to the school again,” Voc-Tech coach Kyle Dulude said. “The boys are extremely proud of this accomplishment.”
Dmitry Stepanchuk tallied a hat trick, Dan Zarichnyy scored one goal, and an own goal led to Voc-Tech’s five goals.
Westfield Voc-Tech’s Sergy Kabysh gets the header. (Photo by Frederick Gore)
Vitally Melnik, Dominic Rosario, Tyler Hall, and Alex Stepanchuk each had one assist.
Tigers’ goalie Vitaly Covileac made nine saves; St. Mary goalie Colin Blake had 17.
“The defense stayed solid and came up with the plays when needed,” coach Dulude said.
St. Mary applied great pressure at the end of the first half, hitting the post, but Voc-Tech regrouped at halftime and prevailed.
“This win was great for our school and represents the hard work our student-athletes put in day after day,” the Tigers coach explained.
St. Mary fell to 10-4-1.
JV BOYS’ SOCCER
Southwick 3, South Hadley 0
Matt Daley had one goal and one assist, and Jameson Secovich and Mason Kowal scored one goal apiece to lead Southwick to victory. Tim McGrath and Dan Gawron each had one assist.
The Southwick JV unit, which shut out Monson with the same score Friday thanks to goals from Dylan Buscemi, McGrath, and Kacper Kisala and two Patrick King assists (and one from Kowal), stayed unbeaten at 14-0.
LATE RESULTS
GIRLS’ SOCCER
Westfield 1, Northampton 0
Morgan Sanders scored the game-winner on a pass from Lindsay Stefano with 13:45 left in regulation, and Jessica Healey (11 saves) earned a shutout to lift Westfield Monday.
BOYS’ SOCCER
Amherst 4, Westfield 0
Westfield fell to 7-5-4 with a shutout against unbeaten Amherst (14-0-2) Monday night at Bullens Field.
“We got beat pretty good,” Westfield coach Andrew Joseph said. “I think Amherst definitely showed why they’re number one in Western Massachusetts, and undefeated.”
“Our focus is on preparing for the postseason,” he added. “I think if we look at it in those terms, this game did a lot for us as far as getting us ready for the tournament. Our sole focus in on the next 12 days.”
