Pierce Buries Game-Winner, Owls Hold Off Eastern Connecticut 3-2

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State senior Leah Pierce (Barnstable, Mass.) buried the game-winning goal off a penalty corner attempt as the Owls held off Eastern Connecticut State University 3-2 in a non-conference game on Tuesday night from Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass.

The Owls have now won six of their last seven games, improving to 9-7 on the season. The Warriors slide to 5-8 overall.

Erin Lane (Canton, Mass.) opened the game's scoring, taking advantage of another penalty corner. Pierce took the insert and fed a pass to Lane who fired a shot towards the goal that was deflected off a Warriors defender and into the net for the 1-0 lead.

Westfield doubled their lead in the second quarter starting from a shot by Kaleigh Murphy (Pembroke, Mass.) which was saved by Eastern keeper Kiana Webster (Raymond, Maine) with the rebound finding the stick of Meredith Higgins (Enfield, Conn.) on the back post who jammed a shot past Webster and into the back of the cage for a two-goal lead.

Eastern Connecticut responded by potting a pair of second quarter goals in a span of four minutes. The Warriors leading scorer, Emma Sanson (Thomaston, Conn.), flipped a backhanded shot from a tight angle high and above the blocker of Emma Gniadek (Worcester, Mass.) to trim the deficit to one goal.

The Warriors found the equalizer shortly thereafter, as Sophie Ash (Mystic, Conn.) fanned on an attempted shot but got enough on the shot to travel to stick of Grace Barlage (Guilford, Conn.) who found the ball and quickly shoveled the ball into the net to tie the contest.

Entering the second half with the game tied at two goals apiece, Westfield found the go-ahead marker, executing a successful penalty corner. Pierce passed the ball to Murphy who stick-tapped the ball to Abby Clark (Uxbridge, Mass.) who then passed back to Pierce on the near post, firing a shot into the goal to send the Owls to victory. 

Gniadek (W, 8-6) collected eight saves on an effective night in net for the Owls. Webster and Hannah Jalowiec (Cheshire, Conn.) each made two saves for Eastern as the two split halves in net. The Owls and Warriors each had an even 12 shot attempts in the game.

Westfield State will stay home for their next game as the Owls host Salem State on Saturday at 3:30 P.M. as part of senior day for the Owls final home game of the regular season.