Women's Lax Snags First Win, 15-10 Over JWU

WESTFIELD, Mass. –      Marena Morales (Tolland, Conn.) and Christina Roncarati (East Longmeadow, Mass. /Pope Francis) scored four goals each, and Izzy Conley (N. Salem, N.Y.) made 14 saves as Westfield State topped Johnson and Wales (RI) University, 15-10, in a non-conference women's lacrosse game at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon.

Westfield is now 1-1, while Johnson and Wales is 1-2.

After JWU netted the opening goal just 10 minutes into the game, Westfield responded with six straight goals with Bri McPhillips (Montgomery, NY/Valley Central) catching a pass from Roncarati in the middle of the fan ad stopping just short of the crease while while ripping a shot into the back of the net to make it 4-1.

Heslin added a free position goal at 5:26 made it 5-1 and forced a timeout from the Wildcats.

Westfield led 7-1 after one quarter.

Conley made a tremendous save on Riley Shepley's (San Diego, Calif.) behind the head  for JWU midway through the quarter as a defensive highlight for the Owls.

Johnson and Wales rallied in the second.

Kelsey Higgins (Enfield, Conn.) rolled the crease and ripped a left-handed shot on the Wildcats' first possession of the second quarter to break the seven-goal run

Westfield extended the lead to 10-3 after back-to-back goals from Morales, but then the Wildcats closed the half with a four-goal run.

Higgins' free position goal made It 10-5.  Shepley scored on feed from Sidney Mayers (New Paltz, N.Y.) from the top of the fan with a 2-player advantage 1:32 cut lead to 10-6, and then Shepley fed Keira Donegan (Ogdensburg, NY/Pope John) from behind the cage on the left and left cut the lead to 10-7 with 11 seconds left in the half with yet another 2-player advantage situation.

Shepley scored a free position goal with 10:02 left in the third to extend the Wildcats run to five goals and trimmed the Owls' lead to 10-8, before Mayers attacked from the top to make it 10-9 with 8:44 left.

Morales scored with a free position shot to break the scoring spree and boost the Owls lead back to two at 11-9 with 8:03 left in the third

Westfield cashed in on a 2-player advantage with 6:04 left in the third with Kayli Bush (Westfield, Mass.) tallying off a feed from Shea O'Brien (Ipswisch, Mass./Littleton) to lead 12-9.

Westfield closed the period on a four-goal run of their own, with Morales scoring with less than 2:00 left in the third to lead 14-9 heading into the fourth quarter.   Conley made five saves in the fourth quarter to preserve the lead.

Morales and Roncarati each finished with four goals and an assist. McPhillips scored three goals and Emily Heslin added two goals and two assists.

JWU was led by four goals and an assist from Shepley, and three goals and an assist from Mayers.  Anna Barber (N. Stonington, Conn.)  started in goal and made one save, Carley Cook (Bristol, Vt.) came on in the second quarter and made four saves.

Team stats for the game were relatively even, with JWU holding a 31-26 edge in shots, and a 14-13 margin in draw controls.  The Wildcats  committed 20 turnovers to the Owls 19.

Westfield will next travel to Western Connecticut State for a non-conference game on Tuesday, March 10, with a 7:00 p.m. start.

Johnson and Wales travel to Worcester State on Tuesday for a 5:00 p.m. draw.