WESTFIELD, Mass. -- Westfield State got three goals and three assists from junior attack Alexa Tonelli (Shrewsbury, Mass.) as the Owls topped the Morrisville (N.Y.) State College Mustangs, 17-12 at Clark Field in Gettysburg, Pa., in the opening round of the NCAA Division III women's lacrosse tournament.
 
Westfield won its second NCAA tournament game in as many years.  The Owls advance to play host Gettysburg College tomorrow at 1 p.m.   The Bullets are the defending NCAA Division III national champions and enter the tournament with a 16-2 record and a number-3 ranking in the nation.
 
Westfield is now 18-2 on the season. The Owls won their seventh straight game, and extend their school-record for wins in a season.
 
The Owls jumped out to a 3-1 lead in the first five minutes of play.  Samantha Coyle(Weymouth, Mass.) rolled the crease to give Westfield a 1-0 lead less than two minutes in. After Morrisville tied the game 1-1, the Owls got back to back goals from Marissa Nimeskern(Hanover, Mass.) and Sydney Lambert (Hanover, Mass.) to lead 3-1 with 25:07 left in the opening frame.
 
Westfield had the better of the run of play and possession time early, extending their first half lead to as many as six goals at 10-4 as Hayley Mate (Melrose, Mass.) scored off a feed from with 7:28 left in the half.
 
The high-scoring Mustangs responded by scoring three of the last four goals in the half, trimming the lead to 11-7 on a goal by Gianna Branca with just 48 seconds left in the half.
 
Westfield State maintained possession for large swaths of the second half.  Again the Owls extended their lead to as many as six goals, leading 16-10 on Tonelli's third goals of the day with 9:52 to play.
 
Morrisville managed to stay in touch with the Owls, trimming the lead to 16-12 after back-to-back Mustang goals, the second on  Branca's free position shot with 4:46 to play, but could not muster a sustained scoring run that could keep the game truly in doubt.
 
Westfield State senior Steph Godek (West Springfield, Mass.) capped the scoring with 48 seconds left in the game for the 17-12 final margin.
 
Maria Woodall (King Phillip/Norfolk, Mass.)  finished with eight saves for the Owls as Westfield held Morrisville below their nearly 15-goal per game scoring average.  Nimeskern finished with three goals for Westfield. Coyle, Godek and Lambert each added a pair of goals as the Owls continued their patented widespread scoring attack. 11 players scored at least one point for the Owls.
 
Morrisville's season comes to a close with a 12-8 overall record.
 
Branca led Morrisville with four goals and five assists, with Courtney Cavellier and Jillian Hughes each adding three goals.  Kallie George finished 11 saves after coming on in relief of starter Marissa Woodward just 4:50 into the match.
 
Westfield outshot the Mustangs 29-20 in shots on goal and 44-27 in total shots.  Westfield also had a 21-10 edge in draw controls, led by seven from Lambert and five each from Nimeskern and Hunter Zackaricz(Northampton HS/Southampton, Mass.).