Keene Penalty Kick the Difference in Women’s Soccer Setback

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Julia Robak (Chicopee, Mass.) totaled a season-high 12 saves, but a penalty-kick goal from Emily O'Connell (Plymouth, Mass.) was the difference as Keene State defeated Westfield 1-0 in a non-conference match from Keene, N.H. on Wednesday afternoon.

The match was scoreless after one half thanks in part to the play of Robak who made ten saves in the period with Westfield being outshot 13-8.

12 minutes into the second half a foul in the penalty box, which resulted in a Westfield red card, set up a penalty try for Keene which was taken and scored by O'Connell.

Playing with ten players for the remainder of the game due to the red card, Westfield was only able to muster three shots on goal, two from Julianna Beaulieu (Southwick, Mass.) in a five-minute span with about 15 minutes left in the match.

The third and final shot attempted by Morgan Berthiaume (Webster, Mass.) at the 82^nd minute was stopped by Riley Andriski (Newmarket, N.H.). Andriski made seven saves in the shutout effort.

Keene outshot Westfield 14-8 in the second half, totaling a 27-16 advantage for the entirety of the match. Kayla Santucci (Agawam, Mass.) entered play with 25 minutes remaining, registering three saves for Westfield.

Robak's 12 saves tied her second highest save total of her career, matching her performance against 21^st-ranked Cortland State on September 9, 2023. Her career-high mark of 14 was set in her rookie campaign against Western New England.

With the loss, Westfield has now been shutout in back-to-back contests and will look to find the back of the net and get into the win column in their MASCAC opener on Saturday as they travel to Fitchburg State on Saturday at 11:00 A.M.