Westfield State Women’s Basketball Set to Face Bridgewater State in Key MASCAC Matchup

Westfield, MA — The Westfield State Owls (11-5, 3-0 MASCAC) are gearing up to host the Bridgewater State Bears (11-6, 3-1 MASCAC) this Saturday in a critical conference matchup. Tip-off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at the Woodward Center, and the outcome of this game could play a pivotal role in determining postseason seeding within the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference standings.

Westfield State enters the contest riding a three-game conference win streak and showcasing impressive form on both ends of the court. The Owls are led by two dynamic scorers in Jordan Grant and Olivia Hadla - who continue to cement their legacy in the program's history books. Grant, a consistent inside-outside threat, is averaging 16.7 points per game, which puts her as the #3 scorer in the conference. Hadla contributes 14.6 points per game with her sharpshooting abilities. Both Grant and Hadla come into this game being tied all-time at 1,319 career points, which puts them 9th all-time in scoring at Westfield.

Bridgewater State is led by senior Kylie Grassi, the program's all-time leading scorer, who currently sits at 1,516 points. Grassi's ability to score in a variety of ways makes her the focal point for the Bears, averaging a team- and conference-high 18.6 points per game. Alongside Grassi, grad student Kylee Piche is averaging an efficient 12 points per game on nearly 46% shooting from the field. Their balanced attack features strong perimeter shooting and physical play in the paint, which will present challenges for the Owls' defense.

Last season, the teams split their regular-season meetings, with each team winning on their home court. However, when the two teams met in the MASCAC semifinals at Bridgewater, the Bears came out victorious, 105-94, ending Westfield's postseason run. Before the season, Bridgewater was picked first in the preseason rankings, receiving four first place votes, while Westfield was picked in a tie for the second-place spot, receiving just one first place vote. This will be the first time the Owls face the Bears since that postseason loss, and the Owls should be motivated to avenge it in front of their home crowd.

Keys to the game for Westfield State will be pushing the pace on offense and maintaining control of the tempo. The Owls will need to limit turnovers while using their aggressive defensive pressure to create turnovers and generate easy scoring opportunities in transition.

Fans are encouraged to come out and support the Owls in what promises to be an exciting and hard-fought battle on the hardwood as a part of a conference doubleheader, as the Westfield State men's team also hosts the Bears, with that game starting at 12 noon.

--  Written by Tom Onorato, sports information intern