Box Score
WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State and MCLA battled to a 2-2 men’s soccer overtime tie in the regular season finale on Saturday evening, Oct. 31.
Despite the tie Westfield (8-7-2) clinched the No. 2 seed in the Massachusetts State College Athletics Conference (MASCAC) postseason tournament. Westfield and Framingham both finished with 5-1-1 conference records but the Owls took the tiebreaker by beating the Rams, 1-0, early in the season.
Westfield will host No. 3 seed Framingham on Wednesday, Nov. 4, at 3:30 p.m. No. 1 seed Bridgewater (6-0-1) will host No. 4 seed Salem in the other semifinal matchup on Wednesday at 2:00. The championship game will be played at the highest remaining seed on Saturday, Nov. 7.
Westfield took a 1-0 lead 8:07 into the game on a goal by sophomore Justin Laliberte (Easthampton).
But MCLA (8-7-2 overall, 1-4-2 MASCAC) struck for two quick goals by dangerous sophomore forward Casey Baker (North Adams) in the 28th and 31st minutes.
Westfield tied the scored in the 42nd minute on a goal by sophomore Sam LaBonte (Westhampton). The teams were unable to score for the next 68 minutes.
Westfield held a huge edge in shots (28-9) and corner kicks (12-3). MCLA keeper Evan Coe registered nine saves and the Trailblazers also had two big defensive team saves. Owl goalie Lucas Dexter made five saves, including a key stop in the first 10-minute OT stanza.
Westfield five seniors and their parents were honored during Senior Day.