Field Hockey Edged by Westfield State, 5-4

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University field hockey team was edged in a showdown for first place in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.

Westfield State University scored the game-winning goal with 3:14 remaining to get past the Bears, 5-4, at Mazzaferro Field on Tuesday night.

The Owls are now 4-0 in the MASCAC (and 7-3 overall) while BSU is 3-1 in the MASCAC, 7-2 overall after having a four-game winning streak stopped.

Westfield State defeated the Bears in the championship game of the MASCAC tournament last season.

The teams combined for eight of the nine goals in the second half with freshman Kacey Curran (Fall River, Mass.) netting the game-winner with 3:14 remaiing in the game, not long after BSU had tied the game.

The winning goal came off a penalty corner with BSU goalkeeper Brianna Gagnon (Tewksbury, Mass.) making the initial save on a shot by senior Kaleigh Murphy (Pembroke, Mass.). But Curran put the rebound into the back of the cage.

After a scoreless first period, Westfield State held a 1-0 lead at halftime after a goal by freshman Caroline Andrade (Watertown, Mass.).

Andrade forced a turnover, stickhandled into the circle and put a shot into the right side of the net with 10:11 remaining until halftime.

The two teams would combine for five goals in a wild third quarter.

BSU took a 2-1 lead early in the second half when junior Abbie Zuber (Westport, Mass.) scored twice in the span of 1:21.

Zuber tied the game, assisted by sophomore Samantha Souza (Dartmouth, Mass.), with 4:26 gone in the third quarter.

The goal came off a penalty corner with Souza setting up Zuber with a crossing pass to the right side. Zuber beat the goalkeeper with a shot inside the near post.

Just 81 second later, the Bears went up, 2-1, as sophomore Taylor Carter (Walpole, Mass.) assisted on the Zuber goal.

BSU again scored off a penalty corner with Carter setting up Zuber on the right side, and her long shot went into the net.

Less than a minute later, Westfield State tied it, 2-2, on a goal by senior Sadie Stauffer (Suffield, Conn.).

BSU junior Madison Ellis (Attleboro, Mass.) made a defensive save off a shot by Murphy, but the rebound went to Stauffer, who scored.

The Bears went back on top, 3-2, with 1:52 showing on the third-quarter scoreboard when sophomore Kallie Rose (Dartmouth, Mass.) scored.

Rose intercepted a pass between defenders, stickhandled in from the right shot and scored inside the far post.

With nine second to go in the third period, Westfield State made it 3-3 on a goal by Andrade.

She took a loose ball off a rebound and flipped a backhander over Gagnon.

The Owls went up, 4-3, 5:20 into the fourth quarter when Curran scored from Andrade.

Andrade carried the ball in from the left side and sent a pass across the front where Curran took it and fired into an open right side.

The Bears made it 4-4 with 4:45 left to play in the game on a goal by Souza, assisted by Carter.

After stealing a clearing pass, Carter made a quick pass to Souza, who scored on a one-timer inside the left post.

The Owls needed just over a minute to regain the lead on Curran's second goal of the period.

Westfield State had a 14-12 edge in shots and a 13-5 advantage in shots on goal.

Gagnon had seven saves for BSU while senior Emma Gniadek (Worcester, Mass.) made one save for the Owls.

BSU plays at Framingham State on Saturday at 2 p.m. while Westfield State hosts Western Connecticut State on Thursday at 7 p.m.