Parker Nets Hat Trick, Owls Erase Two-Goal Deficit to Top Lancers 3-2

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Senior forward Delaney Parker (Orange, Mass.) recorded her eighth career hat trick as Westfield State erased a two-goal deficit to top Worcester State, 3-2 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference game on Saturday afternoon from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass.

The Owls win their fourth straight game, moving to 5-3-2 overall and 2-0 in the MASCAC. The Lancers fall to 2-5-1 on the season and 0-2 in the conference.

The Lancers staked a two-goal lead in the first half after Amanda Cosco's (Watertown, Mass.) goal with 14 minutes remaining in the half doubled the Worcester lead.

Westfield quickly cut the deficit in half just a minute later with Parker tracking a pass down the left side of the field, tucking a low shot past Lancers keeper Ella Gumienny (Douglas, Mass.) to make it a 2-1 contest with 12:16 left in the half.

The Owls then found the equalizing goal 2:26 into the second half with Tia Tollis (East Longmeadow, Mass.) intercepting a pass at the midfield line before lofting a pass downfield out in front of Parker who outraced a pair of Lancers defenders to the ball, firing a left-footed shot towards the far post and past Gumienny for the game-tying marker.

The scoring barrage continued for Westfield with under 37 minutes to play in the game starting with Morgan Berthiaume (Webster, Mass.) who possessed the ball at the attacking 40-yard line before tapping a pass to Parker. Parker gathered the feed and faced her nearest defender, one-touching to her left before launching another low shot for the hat trick and the Owls eventual game-winner.

Owls goalkeeper Julia Robak (Chicopee, Mass.) made a critical stop late in the match to preserve the victory, aggressively sprinting to the top of the box to cut off the shooting angle from Lancers midfielder Olivia Magierowski (Brimfield, Mass.), making a sliding save to hold a one-goal advantage which would serve as the final score.

In the first half, the Owls were unable to capitalize on a pair of premier scoring opportunities. The first originated from an Owls corner kick with Kiana Muratsuka (Mililani, Hawaii) directing a pass into the box to Tollis who headed a shot to the near post which was saved on the goal line by Addison Enos to keep the match scoreless.

With Worcester leading by a goal, the Owls were awarded a penalty kick after a Lancers foul setting up Parker for an attempt against Gumienny who made a diving save on Parker's attempt.

Ella Tatarczuk (Bedford, Mass.) opened the scoring for either side, controlling the ball off an Owls turnover before depositing a shot into the upper righthand corner of the net to jump out to a 1-0 lead.

With 14 to play in the first half, Raelyn Callahan (Pepperell, Mass.) kept the ball in bounds on the end line and centered a ball into the penalty area to a crashing Cosco who scored Worcester's second marker of the match.

The Owls outshot the Lancers 26-17 in the contest with Robak (W, 4-3-2) registering nine saves for Westfield. Gumienny (L, 2-4-1) collected six saves for the Lancers.

Westfield State will travel to Western New England for their next match on Wednesday at 4:00 P.M. Worcester State will host Western Connecticut on Tuesday, October 1 at 7:00 P.M.