Men's Soccer Hits the Road for Playoffs

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Westfield State men's soccer heads into this week's Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament as the number five seed, and will play a first round match at #4 Bridgewater on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. on Swenson Field.

Westfield enters the game with a 3-9-5 overall record and a 2-4-1 mark in the MASCAC. The five draws this season matches the most ever in a season at Westfield.

Bridgewater posted a 6-8-2 overall record, and a 4-2-1 mark in league play.  Bridgewater has gotten hot at the right time of the year, and heads into the playoff game having won four of their last five matches.

The two teams met just 17 days ago in Bridgewater, and the Bears emerged with a 4-2 win in a back and forth affair. Bridgewater's David Nelson (E. Bridgewater, Mass.) was the major thorn in the Owls side, scoring all four of the Bears goals. The 6-2 junior forward leads the Bears with 15 points on seven goals and four assists.  

Westfield got goal from Jojo Evborokhai (Chicopee, Mass.) and Carter Hebert  (Easthampton, Mass.) in the loss to the Bears.

Hebert has had a standout first year for the Owls, and leads the team with eight goals and three assists for 19 points.  Senior Matt Allen (Southwick, Mass.) has been a factor from the left flank with six goals and three asissts.  Bryant Keeney (Westfield, Mass./Pope Francis) and Nick Brown (Southwick, Mass.) help make the game for the Owls as they share the team lead with three assists apiece as well.

In net, the Owls will likely choose between Drew Adams (N. Attleboro, Mass.) and Emilio Mancuso (Ludlow, Mass.).   The duo has split time between the pipes all season.  Adams has played in 10 games with seven starts with a 2.15 GAA and a .763 save percentage.    Mancuso has played in eight while starting six, and has a 1.67 GAA with a .839 save percentage.  Both saw action in the earlier game against the Bears.

Senior William Russell (Sandwich, Mass.)has been the primary netminder for the Bears. In 15 starts he has a 1.30 GAA and a .814 save percentage.

The winner of the Westfield-Bridgewater match will travel to top seed Framingham State for a semifinal round match on Friday evening at 6:00 p.m.