The score remained 14-0 late in the third quarter when Westfield was driving towards a score. Then the defense came up big when senior captain Brian Learned (Clinton, MA) intercepted a pass at the 10 yard line and returned it 33 yards out to the WPI 43. On the ensuing drive that began the fourth quarter, Cote finished off the 57-yard drive with a 10-yard run for the final score that put the game out of reach for the Owls.
Godfrey and Learned received honors for their performances against Westfield. Godfrey, who rushed for a career high 162 yards, was selected as the offensive player of the week in the Freedom Football Conference and co-offensive player of the week in New England by the ECAC. Learned, who had 14 tackles and an interception was named to both the FFC and ECAC honor rolls.
In the game versus Merrimack freshman Marissa Mertzic (Barre, MA) got WPI on the board first when she scored her first collegiate goal. WPI held onto the 1-0 lead at the half. Merrimack struck back with a goal of their own to tie the game about 10 minutes into the second half when coach Quinn called a timeout to fire up the troops. It must have worked, because not too long after that senior co-captains Heather Bryer (Warwick, RI) and Sarah Tremblay (Rehoboth, MA) scored within 69 seconds of each other to break the tie. Freshmen goalkeepers Deborah Vandeburgh (Walpole, MA) and Alyssa Schlichting (Merrimack, NH) split the game between the pipes.
In the loss to Springfield, WPI was not able to create a sustained attack on the opposing keeper to get on the board as they were shutout by a strong Pride team. Vandeburgh played strong in goal for WPI, making 13 saves to keep the score close.
In the win over Worcester State, WPI got goals from three different players as senior tri-captain Kevin Morin (Charlton, MA), junior Mike Dellisanti (Mt. Vernon, NH) and sophomore Chris Prueher (Ellington, CT) each tallied a goal in the win. Freshman Tony Roccisano (Woodstock, CT) added an assist. Sophomore goalkeeper Matt Woodcock (Orange, MA) made four saves to pick up his first win of the season.
On Wednesday the eleventh, WPI hosted Fitchburg in a late afternoon game at Alumni Field. Junior Eric Langlois (Canton, MA) got WPI on the board first at 24:30 into the game with an assist from Morin. The Falcons struck back to tie the game three minutes later at 1-1. The half ended with the score remaining tied at one apiece. In the second half, junior Mike Couchon (Longmeadow, MA) put WPI ahead for good at the 67 minute mark. Late in the game senior Jim Goodreau (Ludlow, MA) iced the game with a goal on a strong move through the goal area. junior Doug Brown (Grafton, MA) and classmate Shaun McDonough (Whitman, MA) added assists, Brown's coming on Couchon's goal and McDonough's coming on Goodreau's goal. Woodcock had another solid outing in picking up the win.
On Monday the ninth, WPI traveled to UMass-Lowell to take on the River Hawks. The game was tied 1-1 at halftime as freshman Jamie Szafarowicz (Oakham, MA) scored for WPI with an assist from Denice Godfrey (Portland, OR). In the second half, junior Sommyr Pochan (Rochester, NY) and sophomore Emily Ballinger (Newport Center, VT) would tally a goal each for WPI in the 3-1 win. Godfrey added another assist as did Szafarowicz. Senior co-captain Lynn Kearnan (Medway, MA) and freshman Katrina Miller (Helena, MT) each played goal for WPI.
On Thursday the twelfth WPI was on the road again, this time they journeyed to Dudley to play a strong Nichols squad. WPI came out on the short end of a 6-1 score. Sophomore Lauren Goodfellow (Foxboro, MA) tallied the only goal for WPI in the loss.
On the singles side of the match, Buffone won at #1 6-3, 3-6, 6-3, while Michelle Lafond (Exeter, RI) won at #2 6-1, 6-1. Jurofcik took #3 6-4, 6-1, Kathy Sheehan (Warwick, RI) won at #5 6-1, 6-3 and Deliso was victorious at #6 6-4, 6-4. It should be noted that Silva, playing in her first varsity singles match, played at #4. Although she did not win, her match lasted three hours.
On the tenth, WPI hosted old NEW 8 rival Brandeis. They won the first game 15-8, but dropped the next three games 9-15, 8-15 and 8-15. For the match, junior Stacy Gold (Nazareth, PA) had 12 kills. The team also had six serving aces.
Two nights later on the twelfth, WPI hosted Simmons college. The outcome was never really challenged as WPI swept 15-6, 15-7 and 15-11. Senior co-captain Emma Palmacci (Walpole, MA) had a strong all-around game with four kills, five assists and six digs along with two serving aces. Newcomer, junior Anke Kokott (Schwelm, Germany) chipped in with seven digs.