BOSTON, Mass. - The Simmons College women's soccer team was defeated by visiting Westfield State University, 3-2, this evening on a rain-soaked Daly Field in Brighton, Mass. The Sharks fall to 9-6-2 in their regular-season finale, while the Owls improve to 9-5-2.
Sophomore forward Bella Eduardo (Springfield, Mass.) was awarded a penalty kick, following a handball committed by Simmons in the 18-yard box, and converted with 10:38 remaining in the second half to give Westfield State a 3-2 lead and the eventual victory. The PK was her second marker of the night and one of 10 WSU second-half shots to the Sharks' six for the second stanza.
Junior forward Nicole Chretien (North Attleboro, Mass.) opened the scoring in the second half to give the visitors a 2-1 lead at 68:11 in the match when she flicked a header past the Simmons keeper. Junior defender Casey Rotti (Rutland, Mass.) got her head on the ball off a corner kick, sending it in the direction of Chretien, who finished with a header into the back of the net, for the Owls first lead of the night. The Sharks responded 80 seconds later when senior forward Gabrielle Klane (Franklin, Mass.) ripped a failed clear from within the 18-yard box to register her fourth goal of the season and even the score at 2-2.
Simmons initiated the scoring in the first 45 minutes of action when junior forward Mikayla Elliott (Lowell, Mass.) finished off a rolling ball in the box through a scrum to give the Sharks a 1-0 lead at 15:34. Westfield answered back with 6:11 to go before the end of the first period. Eduardo tallied her first marker of the night, dribbling past multiple Simmons defenders and slotting a ball to the near post, past the Sharks keeper, to tie the score and send the teams into the break at 1-1.
Senior goalie Leah Ciampa (Danvers, Mass.) recorded seven saves to earn the victory for the Owls, while Simmons senior netminder Casey Halle (Watertown, Mass.) turned away 11 shots on the night for her third double-digit save outing on the season.
Westfield State held a 19-14 advantage in shots in the match, while also maintaining an 8-6 edge in corner kicks.
The Sharks return to the pitch on Saturday October 28 as the number six seed for Great Northeast Athletic Conference Championship Tournament quarterfinal action at third-seeded Emmanuel College (Mass.) at Clemente Field in Boston, Mass. at 1:00 p.m. The Owls are back in action as they host Salem State University in the regular season finale at Alumni Field in Westfield, Mass., on the same day at noon.