MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME MEN’S SOCCER

Friday, October 6, 2017

Clean Harbors Stadium, Buzzards Bay, Mass.

FINAL:              MASSACHUSETTS MARITIME 1, WESTFIELD STATE 0

BUZZARDS BAY, Mass. --  Junior Brendan Gawron’s (Braintree, Mass.) goal in the 52^nd minute proved to be the game-winner and lifted Massachusetts Maritime to a 1-0 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference men’s soccer victory over Westfield State Friday evening at Clean Harbors Stadium.

Gawron converted a feed from fellow junior Zach O’Neil (Scituate, Mass.) on the golden goal for the host Buccaneers (3-8, 2-2 MASCAC), as he deflected a shot from 10 yards out in front of the cage for his second tally of the season.  Senior Mike Pruchnik (Rochester, Mass.), coupled with solid play from the backline unit, made that stand up by making four saves to earn his second shutout of the year and fourth of his career for Massachusetts Maritime, which defeated the visiting Owls (5-6, 2-2 MASCAC) for the first time in 12 years with the triumph.  The last Buccaneer win in the series between the two schools came on October 15, 2005 with a 2-0 road victory in Westfield, as tonight’s result ended an 11-match Westfield State series unbeaten streak.

Senior Alex Kraver (West Springfield, Mass.) made nine saves in net in the setback for the Owls, as Massachusetts Maritime outshot Westfield State by a 17-11 margin overall (10-4 on goal).  The visitors took five of the seven corner kicks for the contest and held an 8-7 edge in second half shots after the hosts had taken 10 of the 13 total shots in the opening 45 minutes of play.

Massachusetts Maritime heads to Paxton, Mass. on Wednesday evening to take on Anna Maria in a non-league match beginning at 6:00 p.m., while Westfield State travels to Chicopee, Mass. on Tuesday afternoon for a non-league outing with Elms that begins at 4:00 p.m.