The Westfield State University women’s soccer program is approaching dynasty status. The Owl booters finished the 2012 regular season unbeaten and ended the year with a brilliant 18-1-1 record as they captured their fourth Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) championship and fourth National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Tournament bid in the past five years.
Westfield State has won 15 or more games in four of the past five seasons in posting an aggregate record of 64-21-8.
Westfield State veteran Head Coach Todd Ditmar said that recruiting talented student athletes has been the key to the program’s remarkable run.
“Our success is based on the outstanding players that have come through the University in the past five years,” said Ditmar. “Top student athletes across the state contact me about our soccer program, and, each year, it’s gotten better and better. We, by far, have the best talent in our conference.
“Our goals haven’t changed,” he added. “From the first day in pre-season, we talk about our expectations for the season. We expect to win the conference and advance to the NCAA Tournament. We have a very close-knit team, and each member is focused on that goal.”
The storybook 2012 season did come to an abrupt end in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament as Westfield State suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 overtime loss to perennial power Wheaton College. Westfield established numerous school single-season records that will be difficult to surpass, including most victories, fewest goals allowed (eight), consecutive victories (14), and shutouts (13).
Six Owls earned first-team all-conference honors led by conference Player of the Year Kayley Miller. Westfield State made it a clean sweep as freshman Ashley Bovat was selected the conference rookie of the year, and Ditmar was the coach of the year. Miller, a second-team All-New England selection, set school records for goals (20) and points (49) in a season and career points (119). It was the third straight year the high-scoring senior forward from Ludlow was first-team all-conference; she transferred to Westfield State from Division I Monmouth (N.J.) University following her freshman year.
“Kayley has excellent ball skills and one of the hardest shots I’ve seen. She was not only able to score from anywhere in the offensive end, but she also anticipated where our other players would be and would get them the ball in good scoring position,” said Ditmar. “Without a doubt she is the best player that I’ve coached in 20 years. She not only has amazing physical skills, but her soccer IQ is the best I’ve ever seen.”
Brittanie McGregor, also a senior forward from Ludlow, was a fourth team All-New England selection and first-team all-conference for the second straight season. McGregor scored 35 points, the fifth best total in school history, and is 10th on the Owls’ all-time scoring list with 76 points. McGregor tied a school record and ranked eighth nationally with 15 assists this season.
“McGregor has excellent speed and was able to beat almost any defender off the dribble on the outside of the field. From there she was able to get off great shots and great passes to her teammates,” said Ditmar.
Miller and McGregor combined to score an astounding 84 points, including 30 goals, during the 2012 season. The Owls’ other graduating seniors are standout midfielder Leann Rivard and defensive stalwart Colleen Bazinet.
“Our seniors have brought so much notoriety to our program that we have received nearly triple the number of student athletes interested in Westfield State for women’s soccer,” said Ditmar. “We have now been contacted by some of the top players in the state.” Westfield State’s highly skilled underclassmen include the following 2012 first-team all-conference selections: sophomore midfielders Ashleigh Chretien and Sarah Sypek; freshman back Katy Knight; and junior goalie Jess Habif. Habif ranked 10th nationally and set a school record for goals against average (.397), allowing only seven goals in 20 games played. Habif and McGregor also excelled academically as they were selected to the College Sports Information Directors of America District I All-Academic team. Chretien was Westfield State’s second leading scorer with 17 points and Sypek added two goals and three assists. Bovat, also a midfielder, tallied 14 points for the Owls in earning rookie of the year honors. Knight was a key defensive contributor for the Owls, who only allowed one goal in nine conference games.
