Courtesy Westfield State Sports Information

The Westfield State University women's soccer team faces Stevens Institute of Technology (Hoboken, NJ) in the opening round of the NCAA Division III women's soccer championships on Saturday, Nov. 12. The start time is 11:00 a.m. at Stevens Institute's Castle Point field.

Stevens Institute is the host school for the first and second round NCAA action; in Saturday's other matchup Williams College plays Virginia Wesleyan College at 1:30 p.m. The winners advance to the second round game on Sunday, Nov. 13, at 1:00 p.m.

Stevens Institute improved to 14-3-3 after capturing the Empire 8 conference championship for the second straight year.Both Westfield and Stevens defeated Vassar during the regular season. Stevens edged Vassar in overtime, 2-1, while Westfield topped Vassar, 2-1, in the season opener.

The Owls enter postseason play with a 15-3-1 record after defeating rival Worcester State University, 1-0, in the the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship game. The 15 victories this season are the second most in school history.

The Owls own victories over NCAA tournament teams Springfield College, 1-0, and Eastern Connecticut, 2-1, along with a 1-0 loss to Skidmore College, which received an NCAA at-large bid..

Westfield is led in scoring by a trio of junior forwards: Kayley Miller (Ludlow, Mass.), Leann Rivard (Chicopee, Mass.) and Brittanie McGregor (Ludlow, Mass.). Miller, who was named the MASCAC tournament MVP, has scored 39 points (15 goals, 9 assists), the second most in a season in school history. Rivard has tallied 31 points, tying a school record for most assists in a season with 15. McGregor has played particularly well the second half of the season and enters the NCAA tournament with 29 points (12 goals, 5 assists).

Freshman starters Ashleigh Chretien (North Attleboro, Mass.) and Sarah Sypek (Westhampton, Mass.) have played significant roles in the Owls' success. Chretien has 20 points (6 goals, 8 assists) and Sypek is one of the top defenders in the MASCAC.

Solidify the Westfield defense that has allowed 18 goals in 19 games are senior defenders Heather Dragon (Westhampton, Mass.), Kate Wye (Blackstone, Mass.) and Madison Farrell (Dedham, Mass.). The Owls have a pair of capable goalies in sophomore Jess Habif (Holliston, Mass.) and Nicky Stasz (Easthampton, Mass.). Habif owns an 11-1-1 record with a 0.79 goals against average.