Springfield, Mass. (September 3, 2025) – The WNE Field Hockey team hosted Westfield State University on Wednesday evening. The beginning of the game saw both teams get a feel for the game, and WNE would score in the second quarter to give WNE a 1-0 lead at half. WNE would score four goals in the second half to break open the lead and win the game 5-0. Kameron Marando, Gabbi Oakes, and Mikayla Mrzywka scored their first-career Golden Bear goals in the game.
Records:
- Western New England: 2-0 (0-0)
- Westfield State University: 1-2 (0-0)
How it Happened:
- Alex Tardugno started in goal for the Golden Bears, with Emma Gdianek on the other side of the field in goal for the Owls.
- The teams played back and forth in the first quarter, with the Golden Bears having the majority of the major chances.
- WNE had all five shots in the first quarter and both penalty corners.
- The 21st minute saw Tessa Ebreo get the Golden Bears on the scoreboard. Analise Trani assisted Ebreo for the game's opening goal. WNE led 1-0.
- The Golden Bears would keep the pressure on, but the first half would end with WNE still leading 1-0.
- WNE had all eleven shots in the first half, all six shots on goal, and all five penalty corners in the first half.
- The Golden Bears almost automatically scored their second goal once the second half started. Kara Edwards would get a pass from Kameron Marando and score. WNE led 2-0 33 seconds into the second half.
- The Golden Bears continued to pressure the Owls for seven more minutes before the Owls pushed back. They had five shots and four corners in a row, but WNE and goalie Alex Tardugno turned them away.
- WNE would score once again later in the third quarter as Kara Edwards found Mikayla Mrzywka in front of the goal, and Mikayla scored a first-career Golden Bear goal. WNE led 3-0 at the end of the third quarter.
- The Golden Bears were not done as Kameron Marando would find the back of the goal off a Kayla Antonelli pass a minute and a half into the final quarter of play. That was Marando's first-career Golden Bear goal. WNE led 4-0.
- Westfield State showed they were still going to fight after that with a couple of shots and a penalty corner. However, WNE would take over once again after that, and Gabbi Oakes scored a first-career Golden Bear goal off a pass from Tessa Ebreo. It was part of a penalty corner play. WNE led and would win 5-0.
Coach's Corner:
All three first-time Golden Bear goal-scorers met with the Sports Information team after the game to talk about their first career Golden Bear goals. First to speak was Mikayla Mrzywka, who stated that, "It definitely feels great (to score), hopefully there's a lot more to come." Kameron Marando followed that by mentioning, "It felt awesome. All the goals could not have been more team goals, and we have been working really hard recently, so the hard work paid off." Finally, Gabbi Oakes ended the interview by saying, "It felt good. My goal was one of the last goals of the five, so our team energy was already up. Having my teammates still supporting me even though it was one of our later goals, and mine was off of a corner, so having the entire team participate in it and earning the corner together, it was a great feeling."
Assistant coach Meg Collette spoke after the game, discussing the 5-0 win and the energy the team brought. "I think the girls did a great job today. It was a full team effort. First half, I think we had to get some cobwebs out. Second half, we really connected. There was a lot of great teammate passing and connecting. We worked a lot this week on corners, and I think the girls really executed on those, earning and scoring, I believe, three goals off corners. They really stuck to our game plan and did a great job today," Collette responded.
Inside the Lines:
Up Next on the Schedule:
- The Golden Bears will start a three-game road trip on Saturday, September 6, 2025, at noon, when they take on WPI in Worcester, Massachusetts.
