VanVolkenburg's PK Goal Lifts WNE Past Westfield State 1-0

Springfield, Mass. (October 5, 2022) - The Western New England Golden Bears took to the pitch as they hosted Western Mass. rival, Westfield State University. The Owls arrived in Springfield looking to keep their three-game win streak alive and win their seventh game in the last eight. WNE entered the game hoping to bounce back from a 2-0 loss they suffered at the hands of CCC-foe, Endicott on Saturday.

Records:

• Western New England: 6-4-1 (1-1-1)
• Westfield State University: 7-3-1 (3-0-0)

How it Happened:

The game started quickly, taking only a few minutes for the first shots to be taken. Westfield State's Delaney Parker fired two early shots high of the net to start the game. They were matched in the sixth minute by Emily Chojnicki, who got the game turned in WNE's favor with a shot that went left of the net. Allison Bruehwiler was the next to get a shot off; hers would be the first test of Westfield State's GK, Julia Robak. Robak saved the shot in the top-right corner of the net. Summer Hathaway was the next to get a shot off as WNE started to take control of the game and put serious pressure on WSU. However, the shot went out of bounds and did not worry Robak. Gabby Sansone put a shot wide right of the net next. Then, in the 21st minute, Bruehwiler was back for another shot on goal, but Robak was there for the save. Four WNE shots would follow in the next several minutes, but none were on target. 

In the 32nd minute, Samantha Vitka made a run on the net's left side. As she stopped, she was fouled inside the penalty box by Jenna Hurlburt, and a penalty kick was awarded. Alison VanVolkenburg stepped up and placed the ball on the penalty kick dot. She backed up, waited for the whistle, and then sent a screamer past Robak and into the back of the net on the right side of the goal. WNE now led 1-0. However, WNE did not back off. The Golden Bears kept pushing forward and pressuring the Owls until Allyson Hill had an opportunity on net, but Robak was there for the stop again. Just seconds later, Vitka had a shot, but it went wide left. WNE then followed that up in the 41st minute with back-to-back blocked shots. Finally, in the 43rd minute, Ashley Collins put another shot on Robak, but Robak would not let it get by as she collected her fourth save of the half. That is how the first half would end, with the score being 1-0 Golden Bears.

The first-half stat line favored the Golden Bears. WNE had 15 shots to Westfield State's two. Westfield State had four saves to WNE's zero. WNE had five corner kicks to the two attempted by WSU. WNE was also the more aggressive team as they picked up three fouls to WSU's two. It was a highly contested first half, but WNE showed more fight.

WNE kicked off the second half, and it was more of the same pressure from the first half. Danielle McCarthy started it off in the 48th minute with a shot on goal, but Robak was there for the save. Alison Bruehwiler then put a shot on Robak, but again, Robak was there to parry it away from the net. After the WNE corner kick, Emma French had a shot go off the woodwork, and then Bruehwiler had two shots saved by Robak back-to-back. WNE did not stop there as Isabella Montalvo sent one at Robak in the 58th minute, but there was Robak with another save. Robak was keeping WSU in the game. WNE got two more shots off, but Robak did not have to make a save on either shot. In the 63rd minute, Westfield State got their first shot on net. WNE GK, Molly McLaughlin would keep the Owls scoreless. WSU got a couple of other shots off, but then WNE was back to keeping the pressure on with a McCarthy shot that Robak had to save in the top-right corner of the net. In the 69th minute, Lindsey Reidy got a shot off, but Robak would not let the ball find the back of the net. Westfield State started to tighten up and got another shot off on McLaughlin, but McLaughlin was equal to the task. In the 81st and 82nd minutes, Summer Hathaway and Isabella Montalvo sent shots at Robak, but Robak saved both and had a diving save on Montalvo. Hathaway tested Robak once more in the 90th minute, but Robak made the save, her tenth of the second half. 

Soon after, the final horn sounded, and the game ended with WNE as the victors, 1-0. WNE dominated the offensive stat sheet as they had 30 shots, with half of those being on goal. Westfield State had only eight shots, with two being on goal. Robak made 14 saves, and McLaughlin made saves on both shots that faced her. WNE also had the majority of corner kicks at an advantage of 12-3 and of the fouls at 6-5. It was an all-around win for the Golden Bears.

Inside the Lines:

• The Golden Bears welcomed the Westfield State University Owls to campus for WNE's final non-conference game of the season.
• The game's only goal came from an Alison VanVolkenburg penalty kick goal in the 32nd minute. This was VanVolkenburg's second of the year.
• Molly McLaughlin made two saves on the day to get the shutout win.
• Julia Robak made 14 saves during the game. Ten in the second half alone.
• With a final score of 1-0, the Golden Bears earned their fourth shutout of the season. 

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE travels to Gordon College for a Saturday afternoon CCC matchup at 1:00 pm on Saturday, October 8.
• Westfield State heads out to Massachusetts Maritime for a conference matchup on Friday, October 7, at 7:00 pm.