SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (October 29, 2025) – The Golden Bears hosted their former conference foes, Salve Regina University, on Wednesday evening. In their final regular-season game of 2025, the Golden Bears would strike first thanks to Kayla Antonelli in the first quarter. Salve Regina would take the lead in the second before two Golden Bear goals in 43 seconds at the end of the second quarter gave the team a 3-2 lead at halftime. The Golden Bears would pick up two goals in the second half, including Jenna Nigro's first career Golden Bear goal, to take the victory, 5-3.

Records:

• Western New England: 11-8 (4-3)
• Salve Regina University: 10-7 (3-5)

How it Happened:

• The Golden Bears started Alex Tardugno in goal with Siany Ortez in goal for the Seahawks.
• The first quarter belonged to the Golden Bears. WNE had an early corner, which was followed by a shot blocked by the Seahawks' defense.
• WNE had three more shots after that, but the Seahawk defense deflected or guided them wide.
• WNE then would string together seven shots and three corners. Ortez made a few saves before Kayla Antonelli sent a shot into the goal after a Mikayla Mrzywka shot was saved. WNE led 1-0 in the 13th minute.
• The second quarter saw Salve Regina dominate early. They had an early corner and three shots, with the third being an Adelaide Baird goal, unassisted. WNE and SRU were tied 1-1 in the 18th minute.
• WNE tried to answer with a shot saved by Ortez. However, in the 22nd minute, Julia Decker received a pass from Jordyn Pineau and scored. WNE trailed 2-1.
• WNE would respond with pressure at the end of the quarter. They had two shots saved. After the second save, Mrzywka was spun around, but it would not matter. Mrzywka sent a backhand shot up and over the goalie and defense. The ball found the goal, and WNE tied the game at 2-2 in the 28th minute.
• Forty-three seconds later, Mackenna Cooke would send a rocket shot from the right side of the circle. It would sail past the goalie, and WNE led 3-2.
• The first half ended soon after. WNE led in shots 18-4, shots on goal 9-2, and corners 4-1. SRU had more saves, 6-0.
• The teams would trade chances in the third, but WNE started the third by picking up a few corners and shots. They could not find the goal, though.
• The Seahawks would grab momentum via two corners and five shots in a row. Analise Trani made a defensive save in the 33rd minute along with Tardugno's saves to keep the Golden Bears' one-goal advantage.
• That's when Mrzywka did it again—a crazy backhand goal to give WNE the two-goal lead in the 36th minute.
• The teams traded shots for a little while. WNE would end the third quarter with two corners and a shot saved by Ortez. WNE led 4-2 going into the fourth quarter.
• WNE would start the fourth quarter with a shot saved by Ortez.
• After the initial Golden Bear pressure, the Seahawks responded with four shots; Tardugno saved three.
• WNE responded with a corner and a shot from Analise Trani. Jenn Nigro would get the rebound after Ortez saved the shot and scored! That was Nigro's first career Golden Bear goal, and WNE had led 5-2 in the 55th minute.
• It did not take long for the Seahawks to respond with a goal. The 58th minute saw Reese Interrante find Georgia Costello, who scored to cut the WNE lead from three to two. WNE led 5-3.
• That is how the contest ended, and WNE earned the victory 5-3 in their final regular-season game.

Inside the Lines:

• WNE defeated Salve Regina University 5-3.
• Kayla Antonelli started the goal scoring with a goal assisted by Mikayla Mrzywka in the 13th minute. WNE led 1-0.
• Adelaide Baird scored in the 18th minute to equalize the game at 1-1.
• Julia Decker gave SRU the lead in the 22nd minute with a goal assisted by Jordyn Pineau. SRU led 2-1.
• Mikayla Mrzywka scored in the 28th minute to tie the game at 2-2.
• Mackenna Cooke scored an unassisted goal in the 29th minute to give WNE the lead back, 3-2.
• Mikayla Mrzywka scored in the 36th minute to extend WNE's lead to 4-2.
• Jenna Nigro scored in the 55th minute off an assist from Analise Trani to give WNE a three-goal lead, 5-2.
• Georgia Costello scored in the 58th minute to cut the WNE lead to 3-2. Reese Interrante assisted the goal.
• WNE led the final statistics in shots 27-17, shots on goal 16-10, and corners 9-3.
• SRU had more saves, 11-7.

Coach's Corner:

Head coach Kyle Lyons spoke to the Sports Information Department on what went well and what could have gone better for the team after the contest. "Obviously, putting up five goals in a game is always a good thing, and we have been working a lot on the attack production. We talked this week about bailing each other out out there, so the attack doing their job to bail the defense out because they can't always stop every single play that comes down our end, and vice versa. The backs bailing out the forward players as well. Just the fact that the forwards really came out and took care of their job, I don't think it was our best game defensively, so I think (the attack) executing allowed for us to have some room for error," Lyons mentioned. When asked what it was going to take from the team to get the win, Lyons stated that, "We gotta prepare these next two days, train like we're gonna play in games so that we are ready for game time, and I think we have to show up. Those are the biggest things: prepare, execute, and show up. Nothing is ever guaranteed. We got to show up and earn it. I hope we can get some of the kinks out with the disorganization today, but come back and come together as a team and earn the win."

Jenna Nigro spoke with the Sports Information Department for the first time after scoring her first career Golden Bear goal. When asked to take us through the play leading up to the goal, Nigro stated, "It was a corner, and my role is to just go to the stroke line and sit there and wait for a rebound. I saw the ball at my feet and I just flicked it in." Nigro was also asked how it felt once she realized she scored her first career Golden Bear goal. "I was just super excited to celebrate with my teammates, and they were just so supportive. That was fun to be around."

Kayla Antonelli was also interviewed and was asked how it felt to get the team started with that goal. "You know, we came out pretty competitively, but so did the other team. We have been working on a lot of small game possession in the circle. It felt great to start it off with such a great goal in the beginning. It was a great pass from Mikayla, and I just think it was great that we capitalized on that opportunity," Antonelli answered. Then, when asked about what has been worked on with Mikayla Mrzywka to lead to that goal, Antonelli replied that, "Yeah, small game up the sides of the field, and we've been working a lot on focusing on either passing in the circle or taking the shot. Mikayla has a great IQ. She passed it right to me, and it was just right on my stick. It was a great pass.

Up Next on the Schedule:

• WNE will host the JWU Wildcats on Saturday, November 1, 2025, in the First Round of the CNE Postseason Tournament at 6:00 PM inside Golden Bear Stadium.