There’s a new dynasty in the sports world. Not the Golden State Warriors and not the New England Patriots, but right here at Westfield State. The Owls have once again won the MASCAC Women’s Basketball championship for the fourth year in a row, in an 84-73 victory over the Worcester State Lancers. This is the first time in their historical run that the Owls have had to play a MASCAC championship game on the road, but it did not matter as head coach Andrea Bertini earns her fifth conference championship in her fourteenth year.
Down by as much as twelve points, the Owls used an explosive thirty points in the third quarter and outscored the Lancers by twelve in the fourth quarter to cap the comeback. As the case the entire season, and ever since “The System” was put in place, the Owls scored twenty-four points off of twenty-one Lancer turnovers, despite forcing thirteen less turnovers than their season average.
The Senior class led the way, with Kierra McCarthy (Ludlow, MA) scoring a game-high twenty-two points and grabbing seven rebounds. Lucy Barrett (Williamstown, MA) was right behind her with twenty points and six rebounds followed by Allison Hester (Sutton, MA) with eight points, six rebounds, and four assists. If the math is done correctly, these three seniors have astonishingly won the MASCAC championship in all four years of their collegiate careers. Coach Bertini had an excellent game plan to shutdown Worcester State by sticking with her full court trap press and constant quick tempo that has made “The System” so effective.
This was the second straight game that the Owls made a comeback as they also had to fight back against Bridgewater State in the semi-finals after being down by as much as ten. Before then, they had to overcome a nine-point fourth quarter lead against the same Lancers in the regular season finale. Westfield State ends their run with a record of 18-9, which may surprise some, considering this team was three games below .500 by the end of December.
The Owls aren’t done yet as they head to the NCAA Division III Tournament to face Mount St. Mary’s College (NY) in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. While it may be a tough test, the Owls head into the tournament as winners of six straight and seven of the last eight games. Not only are they hot, but the nation knows how lethal Westfield State can be, as the Owls lead the entire nation in points-per-game (88.2), three-pointers made per-game (11.4), steals-per-game (19.7), and turnovers forced per-game. (33.56)
The one problem the Owls will face in the NCAA tournament is their lack of size. With the graduation last year of Rebecca Sapouckey, there has not been a force down low in the paint to challenge shooters and deny offensive rebounds. The Owls were last in the MASCAC with a minus 9.7-rebounding margin while Mount St. Mary’s averages a 10.1-rebounding margin. If the Owls want to advance in the tournament for the first time in their run of four consecutive appearances, they will have to overcome the tough defense of the Knights and win the rebounding battle.
Until that time comes, the celebration will continue as there are still no challengers for the crown that sits atop the MASCAC Women’s basketball throne, which belongs once again to the Westfield State Owls.
