Parakilas Nets Hat Trick in Owls' Debut, Westfield Tops Cobleskill, 3-0

WESTFIELD, Mass. --- Transfer forward Nicholas Parakilas opened the season with a hat trick against Cobleskill as the Westfield State men's soccer beat SUNY Cobleskill 3-0 on Friday night. 

Parakilas (East Windsor, Conn.) transferred into Westfield State this fall from Springfield College. Parakilas played just three games at Springfield but tallied six points in his Owls' debut.

After a 0-0 first half, just over seven minutes into the second half, the scoring unloaded.  After a Cobleskill turnover just over midfield, we saw a volley pass to start the offense for Westfield. This pass found its way to the foot of Sonny Mazza (E. Longmeadow, Mass.), Mazza centered the ball for a tap-in chip shot for Parakilas' first of the night.

Not even ten minutes later, Parakilas found the back of the net again via the senior forward Coleby Andrade (Falmouth, Mass.). Andrade got the ball and screamed down to the right corner of the field when he looked up and crossed it out in front of the net to find a wide-open Parakilas. Westfield found themselves up 2-0 with just over 28 minutes to go in the second half.

As the clock ticked to the 72^nd-minute mark, Parakilas had his sights on just one more finish. The Fighting Tigers attempted to clear the ball out of their zone when the Owls had other plans. The junior, Carter Hebert (Easthampton, Mass.), broke up the clear with an interception and found a streaking Parakilas down the middle. Parakilas took two dribbles before he was one-on-one with Cobleskill  goalkeeper Adam Champlin (S. Kortright, Mass.), and put it past him to complete the hat trick.

The Westfield defense made their goalkeeper, Luke Theroux's (Chicopee, Mass.) night easy. Theroux only had to make four saves all night to keep the Cobleskill offense at bay.

Westfield outshot the Tigers 25-8 in the match.   Champlin made 11 saves for Cobleskill.

The first half ended in a 0-0 draw but plenty of offense from the Owls. Westfield had 11 of their 25 shots this game in the first frame of play. The Owls kept the ball in the attacking zone for most of the first half and were wearing down the Fighting Tigers' defense.

Westfield (1-0) will look to continue this momentum as the Owls head on the road for the next four matchups. Westfield has Anna Maria slated first on their schedule as they will look to continue this hot start.

Cobleskill dips to 0-1, and will next host Pratt Institute on Sunday, Sept. 1 at noon.