Men's Soccer Scuttles Mass Maritime, 3-1

WESTFIELD, Mass. –   Westfield State men's soccer saw three different goal scorers as the Owls got past Massachusetts Maritime Academy, 3-1 in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference win at Alumni Field on Saturday afternoon.

Westfield spotted the Buccaneers a goal just 2:59 into the match as a corner kick led to a bouncing ball in the midst of a thicket near the top of the goalkeepers box and Jesus Sanchez (Dodge City, Kansas) volleyed it into the right side of the net for a 1-0 MMA lead.

The Owls equalized the game in the 25^th minute as Ryan Denehy's (Littleton, Mass.) long ball of the left side put Carter Hebert (Easthampton, Mass.) in for the tying goal.

Westfield grabbed a 2-1 lead before the half, with good build-up as Matthew Elmasian (Springfield, Mass./Minnechaug) played the ball out of the back to Hebert on the left side, who sent a long through ball up the left side for Matthew Allen (Southwick, Mass.), who beat MMA keeper Quinn Kelly (Wet Roxbury, Mass.) in the 36^th minute.

Westfield added an insurance goal in the 73^rd minute, as Bryant Keeney (Westfield, Mass./Pope Francis) wrapped in a corner kick from the left corner, and his in-swinger was just under the crossbar at the back post, and Kelley was unable to handle it and it dropped across the line for the goal and a 3-1 lead.

MMA had their chances in the second half, the best coming midway through the period as Ryan Soughou (Bel Air, Maryland) ripped a shot that Westfield GK Emilo Mancuso (Ludlow, Mass.) made a diving save to his right to preserve what was at that point a 1-goal lead.

Soughou got another quality chance from the middle of the penalty area with five minutes remaining but fired high.

Mancuso made six saves to earn the win for Westfield, Kelly finished with four saves for MMA.

Westfield improves to 2-7-4 and 1-2-1 in the MASCAC, while MMA sinks to 1-8-2, 0-3-1 in the conference.

Westfield will next travel to Bridgewater State for conference match up next Saturday, Oct. 15.