Latona's Late Goal Lifts Owls

WESTFIELD, Mass. – After a day of missed opportunities, Westfield State field hockey cashed in late, as senior Cheryl Latona (Granby, Conn.) netted the game winning goal to lift the Owls to a 2-1 win over Rivier University in a non-conference game at Alumni Field on Tuesday afternoon.

Westfield outshot the Raiders 34-1 in the day and had a remarkable 24-0 advantage in penalty corners.

The game winner didn't come off of a penalty corner at all.  Westfield's Lauren Champiny (Somers, Conn.) carried the ball down the right side, sent it to Allie Giguere (Lynn, Mass./Bishop Fenwick) at the near post, and Giguere redirected the ball through traffic across the goal mouth, where Latona lay in wait at the back post to find the back of the cage for a 2-1 Owls lead with 3:19 left in regulation time.

Westfield fell behind 1-0 in the first quarter, as Rivier's Hunter Langley (Londonderry, N.H.)  scored off of a nice pass from Maegen Sheehy (Sabbattus, Maine/Oak Hill), who carried the ball from midfield on a counter attack, slipping a pass to her left to Langley for the goal.

Raider incursions into Owls territory were rare on the day.   Westfield State goalkeeper Riley Goulet (Marion, Mass./Old Rochester) didn't have to make a single save, coming off her line one time to kick away a long pass that proved to be the most threatening moment outside of the first marker.

Westfield pounded shot after shot at Raiders netminder Katie Olson (Saugus, Mass./Bishop Fenwick).  The Owls had 20 first-half shots, finally tallying in the 23^rd minute of play when Kelsi McDevitt gathered a feed from Shannon Roycroft, and found the goal from about 4 yards out on the right side.

Olson finished with 13 saves for Rivier.

Westfield State improved to 2-4 on the season, while Rivier is 0-3.

Westfield will be back in action on Thursday with another non-conference game at Western New England.