Owls, WNE Draw 1-1

WESTFIELD, Mass.  --  Westfield State University and Western New England University traded second half goals as the two teams dueled to a 1-1 draw in a non-conference women's soccer match at Alumni Field on Wednesday evening.

Westfield moves to 2-4-4 overall on the season, while Western New England  is 4-3-3.

Westfield got on the scoreboard first with a goal from Liv DeMember  (West Boylston, Mass./Algonquin) in the 51^st minute.   Westfield's Katie Slattery (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug) started the play with a throw in from the left sideline to Kiana Muratsuka (Wahiawa, Hi./Millilani), who slotted the ball ahead for Demember, who used some good footwork at the top of the penalty area to get past a pair of defenders and find the back of the net.

The Golden Bears drew even in the 65^th minute with good build up, as Emma Forde (Mystic, Conn./Fitch) played the ball out of the defensive end to Ava Borecki (Pepperell, Mass./BG) at midfield, who then sent a through ball skittering ahead 30 yards where Liza Finette (Acushnet, Mass./Fairhaven) ran on to it at the top left corner of the penalty area and beat Owls goalkeeper Kayla Santucci (Agawam, Mass.) to the far post.

Neither team could get a go-ahead goal.  Westfield had the best chance late, as Olivia Crooks (Wilbraham, Mass./Minnechaug) volleyed a looping shot from the top of the penalty area that was saved with about four minutes left to play.

Westfield led 11-5 in shots on goal and 2-0 in corner kicks.    Santucci stopped four shots for Westfield, while Ainsley Napolitano made nine saves for the Golde Bears

Neither team mustered much offensive pressure in the opening 45 minutes.  The Owls best scoring chance came with 19 minutes left in the half as Morgan Berthiaume (Webster, Mass./Douglas) launched a clean shot from the top corner of the box on the left side that forced a leaping save from WNE's Napolitano.

Emma Forde had the best offer from the Bears, necessitating a save from Santucci with 12 minutes left in the half, and on a set piece from the bears Victoria Wilson's (Merrimac, Mass./Brewster Acad.) long serve into the penalty area was headed wide by Natalia Estrada Rangel (Edinburg, Tex./McAllen) with 11 minutes left in the opening frame.   Westfield held a 6-4 edge in total shots at the break.

Westfield State will next be in action on Friday night, hosting Massachusetts Maritime Academy at Alumni Field in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference match with a 7:00 p.m. kickoff.

WNE will next host Roger Williams University on Saturday at noon in Springfield, Mass., in a Conference of New England matchup.