Men's Soccer Picked Third in MASCAC Preseason Poll
The Owls played strong last season in conference play finishing with a 5-2 record against MASCAC opponents
WESTFIELD, MA --- Westfield State is projected to finish third in the 2024 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference preseason polls as voted on by the league's coaches for men's soccer.
The Owls are third in the preseason rankings with only Bridgewater State and Salem State ahead of them. Westfield received 37 overall points in voting, a mere six points shy of second place Salem State. Salem State earned three first-place votes, which comes only second to returning champions Bridgewater State. Bridgewater received the remaining five first-place votes and topped the poll with 46 points.
The Owls played strong last season in conference play finishing with a 5-2 record against MASCAC opponents and finished the season with an overall record of 7-8-2.
Westfield is coming off a MASCAC Tournament Championship game appearance, in which they took on this year's preseason poll favorite, Bridgewater State.
The Owls are looking to return to the MASCAC Championship game this fall and will do so with some familiar faces.
While graduating eight seniors, Westfield will look for the rising junior, Carter Hebert (Easthampton, Mass.) to carry the load from the forward position. In his first-year, Hebert put on an offensive clinic with eight goals totaling 19 points. Those numbers were good enough for the top five in the conference for goals and points. The forward picked up right where he left off in 2023 and netted three goals last season in 15 games, along with three assists to accrue nine points. Hebert will look to continue to be an offensive leader for the Owls in 2024.
The Owls are also returning incoming sophomore goalkeeper Luke Theroux (Chicopee, Mass.). Theroux started 16 of the 17 games last season for Westfield. Among those 16 games started, Theroux had two complete game shutouts against Elms and Fitchburg State, along with 11 games letting up two goals or less. Theroux tallied 100 saves, which was good enough for third in the conference last fall.
At the forward position, Westfield will look to Santino Mazza (East Longmeadow, Mass.) a rising junior who will look to make a splash in 2024. Last season, Mazza scored three goals and accumulated nine points. Those numbers were enough to be third on the team in points and goals for the Owls.
The Owls' defense is returning seven of its nine defenders of last season, including Ryan Denehy (Littleton, Mass.) and Matthew Elmasian (Springfield, Mass.). Both were starters last year and will look to bring their experience to help the defense reach another level this fall.
Westfield State is coached by head hoach Dr. Christopher Streeter, who is heading into his third season at the helm for the Owls. Streeter took the Owls back to the Championship game for the first time since the 2017 season and is looking to get back there this fall.
Streeter and the Owls open the 2024 season at home on Friday, August 30th against SUNY Cobleskill at 7:00 P.M. at Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass.
-By Hunter Briggs, Sports Information Graduate Intern