Field Hockey Tops Framingham In Finale; Owls Secure #2 Seed

Kaleigh Murphy (Pembroke, Mass.) and the Owls win as Murphy scored the lone goal of the match in the 1-0 thriller as Westfield hit the road for the regular season finale at Framingham State.

The first half ended the same way it started, 0-0. The Rams were in complete control through the first half as they outshot Westfield 8-3 through the first two frames and earned two more penalty corners than the Owls.

The second half started all the same way it started, scoreless but that didn't last long. With 6:25 left in the third quarter, a failed Framingham offensive attack led to an Owls clear. Westfield found forward Abby Clark (Uxbridge, Mass.) streaking at the midfield logo. This is when Clark started the push for the Owls and took a shot on net. Clark's shot didn't make it to the net but was recovered by Murphy.

Murphy then tried to find an open look but the Framingham defense swarmed and she handed it back over to Clark. Clark tried to create space for herself amidst the scrum but ultimately decided on the backwards pass to Murphy. Murphy finally saw her window of opportunity and didn't miss it.

Murphy, Clark, and the other Owls celebrated the goal to finally break the stalemate but what they didn't know is that goal secured them a win in their final regular season game of the 2024 season. The goal also secured Westfield the second-seed in the MASCAC playoff tournament.

The second seed of the tournament secures a first round bye for the Owls as they await the winner between the third-seeded Worcester State Lancers and the sixth-seeded Salem State Vikings. That game will take place in Worcester on Tuesday, November 5 at 7:00 p.m.

Westfield finishes the season with a 11-8 record and 7-3 record in the MASCAC. With securing the second-seed, the Owls next game will be the semi-finals of the MASCAC tournament on Thursday, November 7 at 7:00 p.m. at Alumni Field.