WORCESTER, Mass. - Westfield State University sophomore Bella Eduardo (Chicopee HS/Springfield, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal and junior back Casey Rotti (Wachussett HS/Rutland, Mass.) was named the tournament MVP as the Westfield State University women's soccer team earned its sixth Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MACSAC) tournament championship with a 2-1, come-from-behind win over Worcester State at Coughlin Field on Sunday afternoon.
Westfield (11-5-3) won its sixth MASCAC Tournament title in the past 10 seasons, and will earn the league's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III National championship tournament. On Monday, Westfield will find out who and where they will play, when the NCAA broadcasts its selection show at http://www.ncaa.com/fallselections
Westfield trailed 1-0 at halftime. The first shot on net of the game was a Lancer goal by senior defender Justine Butler (Marlborough, Mass.). Worcester State's Maddie Fong (Norton, Mass.) received a free kick from 25-yards out on the left side and arced the ball in the air. Looking as if the ball was going to slide past the right post, Butler got a foot on the ball and redirected it into the net for the Lancers' 1-0 lead.
"The team was so bummed out at halftime, really deflated after Worcester had scored and we were just hanging on at the end of the half," said Owls head coach Todd Ditmar. "I was trying anything I could to keep their spirits up, and I told them that we were controlling the play and just needed to get a corner kick, as we have been able to score on our corners all year."
Westfield State controlled the pace of the second half, as just over a minute into frame Rotti tied the score at 1-1 off a corner kick from Rene Hamel (Monson, Mass.). Hamel sent the corner kick cross from the left side, and Rotti found the ball at the near post and sent it to the back of the net.
"Casey's goal was a great goal and it instantly breathed life back into us as a team," said Ditmar.
Eduardo (Springfield, Mass.) scored what proved to be the game-winner for Westfield State in the 66th minute. Eduardo found herself with the ball 35-yards out unmarked, and took a long shot that took one bounce and went up and over Worcester State goaltender Jill Zinkus (Grafton, Mass.).
"Bella's goal was phenomenal, coming from about 35 yards out and Worcester's goalkeeper just barely got a hand on it," said Ditmar.
Eduardo's goal was her 14th of the season, as well as her 34 point of the year, with both figures the eighth-best single season totals in Owls' history.
Rotti and the Owls back four went to work to hold on to the lead. The Lancers didn't give up as they managed a free kick and two corner kicks in the last six minutes of play.
"Natala Falcone (Sutton, Mass.) played really well in goal, including making a huge save at the end of the first half when we really needed it," said Ditmar. Falcone finished with four saves to preserve the win.
Westfield came into the tournament as the number 2-seed after finishing in a three-way tie for the regular season crown. The Owls upset top-seeded Worcester in the title game for the second time in three seasons.
"It has been a great run for us," said Ditmar. "We had several of our former players at the game in person, and others who were following it online, and as soon as the game was over I started to get texts back and forth from a bunch of our alumni. We have really had a great group of women come through the program and it's exciting to be able to tell them we won the league again."
Westfield State held a 16-11 shot advantage (including a 7-4 margin in the second half). The Lancers notched five shots on net, in comparison to Westfield's four. Worcester State totaled five corner kicks to Westfield's two. Four of the Lancers' corner kicks came in the second half.
Worcester State concludes the 2017 campaign with a 12-5-2 record.
