Brodie Keene netted the Owls first goal in a 3-0 win over Elms College on Tuesday. (WSU file photo)
WESTFIELD – Three different players scored goals and junior goalkeeper Marc Patnaude (North Andover, Mass.) made four saves in earning the shutout, as Westfield State rolled to a 3-0 win over Elms College in a non-conference men’s soccer match at Alumni Field on Tuesday night.
Westfield (5-3-1) got on the scoreboard just 7:24 into the match, when Jimmy Murphy (Wilmington, Mass.) served a ball from 30 yards out on the left side that Brodie Keene (Agawam, Mass.) flicked on with header to the right side of the goal for a 1-0 Owls lead.
Westfield State made it 2-0 with 13:53 left in the half, as Alex Dragon (South Hadley HS/ Holyoke, Mass.) received a pass from Kieran Moriarty (West Springfield, Mass.) and fired a shot from 25 yards out on the left side that found the net.
The Owls capped the scoring with 18:12 left in the match, after Keene was fouled just outside the penalty area to earn a free kick for Westfield. Connor Gilbert (Melrose, Mass.) drilled a low shot under the leaping wall of defenders for a goal and the 3-0 final score.
Patnaude stopped four shots in earning the save, but aggressively left his line all night to challenge for balls in the air and knock away crosses.
Elms (1-8) got seven saves from goalkeeper Tyler Graves (Monson, Mass.). Westfield had a 10-5 edge in shots on goal and generated five corner kicks to the Blazers three.
Westfield will be back in action on Saturday, hosting MCLA at 11:00 a.m. as part of the Westfield State University homecoming and family weekend festivities.
– Courtesy of Westfield State University Sports
