Owls Blast Bucs in Conference Opener, 17-3

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State grad student Kylie Buchanan (Westfield, Mass.) scored a game-high four goals as the Owls soared past Mass. Maritime Academy in the MASCAC opener from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass. on Friday night.

Sophomore Samantha Dyer (Dover, N.H.) and senior Emma Prattson (Tolland, Conn.) both tallied five points with Dyer recording three goals and two assists while Prattson registered two goals and three assists.

Senior Natalie DeMaio (Westwood, Mass.) scored three goals to pass Rachel Dionne '11 for second on the all-time goals list, moving her career total to 182 goals.

The Owls controlled play from the opening draw, holding the Buccaneers scoreless for the first half. Prattson scored on the first two goals for Westfield then assisted on DeMaio's first of two goals in the quarter to give the Owls a 4-0 lead after one quarter.

In the second, the Owls pushed the lead into double digits fueled by a 16-1 shots advantage. Buchanan scored twice within the opening 1:35 of the period then after a goal from Mykenzie Black (Hopedale, Mass.), Dyer notched consecutive goals to continue the scoring spree.

The Owls pushed the game into running time on after a free position goal from Willow Romo (Marlboro, Vt.) as Westfield would take a 13-0 lead into halftime.

In her first start of the season, junior Izzy Conley (North Salem, N.Y.) made three first half saves to hold the Buccaneers scoreless after 30 minutes of action. Conley went on to secure the victory while making four saves.

Black scored the first marker of the third quarter before Mass. Maritime got in the scoring column on a goal from Brady Deschamps (Brewster, Mass.) off a feed from Karah Deveau (Harwichport, Mass.). The Bucs leading point scorer, Allie Dickinson (Kingston, Mass.), recorded her first goal of the night with 3:21 remaining in the quarter.

Mercedes Rozzi (South Burlington, Vt.) scored the final tally of the third as the Owls would cruise to victory, outshooting Mass. Maritime 32-9 while also holding a 17-7 advantage in draws.

After playing four consecutive home games, the Owls will be on the road for six of their final seven regular season games starting on Tuesday night as Westfield (3-7, 1-0 MASCAC) visits Eastern Connecticut State University at 4:00 P.M. Mass. Maritime (2-6, 0-1 MASCAC) will take on Fitchburg State at home in a MASCAC contest on Friday at 7:00 P.M.