NASHUA, N.H. -- MCLA's Rafael Castro scored a pair of goals and the Trailblazers held off host Rivier 2-1 this evening in non conference men's soccer action.

 

The win snapped a 22-game skid for the Trailblazers dating back to the 2017 season.

 

Castro got MCLA (1-4) off to a strong start collecting his first goal of the night in the 14th minute off a Garrett DeRosia assist for a 1-0 advantage. The Trailblazers kept the lead into halftime even though Rivier (0-4-1) outshot the visitors 6-1 in the opening half.

 

Castro would strike again in the 68th minute. He would score unassisted to up the margin to 2-0 with just 22 minutes left to play. Rivier didn't go quietly however as Kelvin Cortez would strike in the 72nd minute to trim the deficit to just 2-1, still with 18 minutes to play.

 

From there, Mount Greylock graduate Sam Edge and the Trailblazer defense would hold on and preserve the victory.

 

MCLA sustained a bit more offense in the second half as the match ended with Rivier holding an 11-7 edge in shots after controlling the opening 45 minutes.

 

Edge earned his first win of his young career, collecting six saves.

 

MCLA is back in action on Friday night when they host Bridgewater State at 6 p.m. at Shewcraft Field.

 

Women's Tennis

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- The MCLA women's tennis team used some strong singles play to grab a 6-3 North Atlantic Conference win over the visiting Delhi Broncos this afternoon at the Zavattaro Athletics Complex.

 

MCLA (2-3, 2-1 NAC) led 2-1 after doubles play. Briana Higgins teamed with Mackenna Jordan to defeat Mackenzie Landman and Hailey Gundersen 8-3 in the top doubles matchup for MCLA's first point. Jessica Dupont and Alyssa Keegan claimed another at the second doubles slot while Delhi (0-8, 0-4) claimed the third and final point heading into singles.

 

From there, MCLA collected four of the six points to get the win. Dupont upended Landman in straight sets at the first singles slot while Higgins would do the same to Gundersen in the second. 

 

Jessica Biller defeated Jordan in a three-setter for the Broncos next point, but MCLA would take the fourth and fifth matches to claim the win. McKenna Clark and Keegan each won their second point of the afternoon.

 

Delhi's Susan Hoskins would earn the Broncos final point defeating Ashlee Bartels in the sixth slot.

 

MCLA is off until Saturday when it heads to Lesley to continue NAC play.

 

Volleyball

WESTFIELD, Mass. -- The Westfield State volleyball team received 14 kills apiece from Brianna Starkey and Hanna Simpkins as the Owls rallied past the MCLA Trailblazers, 3-1, in the MASCAC opener for both teams.

 

MCLA saw its five game winning streak snapped as they are now 5-4 overall and 0-1 in the MASCAC.

 

MCLA took the opening set, 28-26, but the Owls (5-5, 1-0) steadied the ship with a 25-17 second set win to tie things up. The Owls would ride that momentum and take the third set, 25-18, before holding off MCLA, 25-23, in the fourth and clinching set.

 

Starkey and Simpkins were tough to handle all night as they combined for 28 of the Owls 45 kills on the night. Both got their 14 kills on 31 total attacks.  Lizzie Taylor racked up 28 digs for the Owls to pace the defense. Westfield had five players record double figures in digs. Natasha Belardo had a nice night finishing with 7 kills and 19 digs for the victors.

 

MCLA was led once again by Kelly Moczulski. She notched a double double of 15 kills and 12 digs for the Trailblazers. She had a whopping 56 attacks in the match however. Lee's Ahna Schlaefer collected 9 kills and 15 digs for the Trailblazers as she narrowly missed her own double double. Madison Jayne ended with 8 kills and 16 digs.

 

Houa Xiong ended with a match best 41 digs for MCLA while Natasha Stewart set another career high with 40 assists.

 

MCLA is back in action on Sunday it they travels to Delhi for a tri match.

 

Women's Soccer

LONGMEADOW, Mass. -- Bay Path's Joanna Feliciano's scored in double overtime to lift the Wildcats past the MCLA Trailblazers 2-1 in non conference action.

 

Feliciano converted a feed from Heaven Rodriquez that got past Hoosac Valley graduate Megan Richardson to give the Wildcats the win in dramatic fashion.  The goal, her second of the contest, came in the 102nd minute of play. The Wildcats (4-1) controlled play in the overtime sessions as they held a 5-1 advantage in shots during the extra time.

 

Earlier in the match, Feliciano got the scoring started when she tallied in the ninth minute. This time she would knock home an Alexandra Silva feed for an early 1-0 advantage. The lead was shortlived however, as MCLA (1-5) answered quickly.

 

Just 2:13 later, MCLA's Alyssa Porter belted home a Hannah Van de Water feed to knot things up at 1-1. The game remained tied into halftime. Each team attempted just four shots in the opening half of play.

 

Bay Path outshot MCLA, 16-6, over the final 55 minutes of action, but couldn't get one past Richardson until Feliciano's heroics.

 

Richardson took the loss stopping six shots in the game.

 

MCLA is back in action on Saturday morning when it heads to Bridgewater for an 11 a.m. start.