Owls Lance Worcester, 18-7; Rinkus Scores 100th Career Point

Westfield State ran out to an 11-goal lead in the first quarter, and never looked back as the Owls stayed unbeaten in conference play with a 18-7 win over Worcester State at Coughlin Field in Worcester on Wednesday night. 

Westfield improves to improves to 9-5 overall and 4-0 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.  The Owls won their sixth straight game.  Worcester slides to 7-7 overall and 3-1 in the league.

Cassidy Connolly scored four times for the Owls in the opening stanza to help stake Westfield to the big lead.    The Owls' Nicole Rinkus added two goals in the first quarter and four in the game.  Rinkus netted her fourth goal with 6:54 left in the first half off of a feed from Megan Bailey.  The goal gave Rinkus the 100^th point of her career, as she becomes the fifth Owl to reach the 100-point plateau for her career this season, joining teammates Connolly, Cassidy Harvey, Emma Cretalla and Natalie DeMaio.

Connolly finished with five goals in the win over Worcester State, with Cretella adding four goals and an assist and Harvey netting three goals.

Kara Banagan and Sydney Smith split the game in goal, making nine saves for Westfield, while Savannah Rosado stopped 12 shots for the Lancers.

Westfield held a 38-20 edge in total shots, and had just eight turnovers compared to the Lancers' 19.

Westfield will next travel to Fitchburg State for another conference game at Fitchburg State Saturday at noon.