Box Score
WESTFIELD – Westfield State College received goals from four players in coasting to a 4-0 victory over Becker College in an opening round game of the ECAC New England Division III field hockey tournament.
Westfield improved to 12-7 and tied a school record for victories in a season. The No. 3 seed Owls will play Saturday at No. 2 Plymouth State in the ECAC semifinals; game time is 1:00 pm. Plymouth (14-7) defeated Framingham State, 4-1, in an ECAC quarterfinal game. During the regular season, Westfield State jumped out to a 3-0 lead and held on for a 3-2 victory over Plymouth State.
In Saturday’s other semifinal game, No. 1 Endicott College hosts No. 4 seed St. Joseph’s of Maine, which advanced with a 2-1 victory over Worcester State. The championship game is scheduled for Sunday.
Westfield State, which beat Becker, 4-1, during the regular season, struck for two goals in a five-minute span to take a 2-0 halftime lead. Alicia Gardner scored the game-winning goal in the 23rd minute with an assist from Vicky Winson. Just under five minutes later, Winson scored with Gardner getting the assist.
The Owls iced the victory with two goals in a 1:30 span late in the game. Kara Guittarr scored off a penalty corner assist from Jessi Gould, and Kasey Bascetta assisted on a goal by Amanda Burns.
Westfield outshot Becker, 18-2. Both of Becker’s shot came with 15 minutes remaining in the game. Westfield also dominated penalty corners, 16-1, including 10 in the first half.
Becker goalie Clara Lawrence made eight saves.
Westfield State applied offensive pressure the entire game, outshooting Becker, 16-2. Photo By Tom Moriarty