MANSFIELD, Conn. -- Junior midfielder Tamar Merheb  (Bethel) scored her first goal of the season midway through the first half but Westfield State University answered with the final three of the match to defeat the Warriors for only the second time in ten tries on the Warriors' home field in a non-conference match Wednesday afternoon, 3-1, at the Mansfield Outdoor Complex.

Ranked No. 5 in New England, Westfield (7-0-1) remained undefeated with its second win over Eastern in the last two years. In a battle of teams which have qualified for the NCAA tournament six times in the last seven years, senior forward Brittanie McGregor scored the game-winning goal against Eastern (3-2-1) for the second time in as many years. McGregor had tied the match late in the first half, and put the Owls ahead for good with her sixth goal of the season17 minutes into the second half. McGregor had tied the game with a low shot from the right wing which carried across the box and settled inside the left post. Her game-winner came when she re-directed Leann Rivard's  free kick from inside eight yards

A last-tminute addition to the starting lineup, Eastern sophomore back Rachael Skinner (Uncasville) helped limit Westfield top scorer Kayley Miller to just one goal. Miller's team-high  ninth goal came inside the final minute of play.  Miller unloaded nine of her team's 18 shots, but four were saved. Trailing 2-1, Eastern nearly tied the match, but Westfield junior keeper Jess Habif charged off her line to deny Eastern senior Daniela Marchitto's (Orange) bid from inside the box off a corner kick.

The best of  senior keeper Mackenize MacLeod's (Northfield) six saves came on a diving grab on a shot by Miller that kept the Westfield lead at one goal in the 64th minute. Following a three-game homestand which produced a 1-1-1 record,

Eastern visits Plymouth State University in a Little East Conference match Saturday at 1 p.m.