Westfield/Brocton got off to a quick start, dominating the ball right from the opening salvo, including hitting the goal post twice in the first half before Katie Bodenmiller broke the ice in the 19th minute, putting the Wolverines up 1-0 on an assist from Makartnee Mortimer. Shortly after, just eight minutes later, Bodenmiller notched her second tally, unassisted, to extend the lead to 2-0, splitting two defenders before sniping a kick top shelf.

“We focus a lot on possession this year. It is very beneficial for us to have that possession. They posed a challenge and we rose up to it,” Westfield/Brocton head coach Neil Huber said.

With the first half winding down, Westfield had their third marker on a rip from Haleigh Dellow, with some help from Bodenmiller in the 34th minute. Westfield/Brocton’s rampant pace of attack is something coach Huber knows his team does well.

“I don’t want to say we play overwhelming soccer but that’s what we do, we have an attacking style. Defensively, we have a phenomenal goalie and a great cast of returners from last year’s team,” Huber said.

OBSERVER Photo by Christian Storms At left, Westfield/Brocton’s Sheala Barresi takes a shot inside the box during Thursday’s game against the Dunkirk Lady Marauders at Northlake Sports Complex in Westfield.

The quick start carried over into the second half, as just one minute in, Bodenmiller scored her third goal, giving her the hat trick, on an assist from Juli Smith. Just three minutes later, in the 44th minute, Bodenmiller notched her fourth and final goal of the day off a feed from Sheala Barresi, extending the Lady Wolverine lead to 5-0.

Deeper into the second half, coach Huber started swapping in some of his newer players, though he remained confident that the substitutes would continue to attack in the wake of his starters.

“I have a lot of depth this year, which is nice. Today was a game that allowed me to move girls around to different spots, and it shows me that they’re ready to step up in every situation,” Huber said.

The meat of the second half was played in a back and forth affair, as both team’s substitutes were trying to get used to each other, stagnating the scoring for the majority of the half.

Then in the 74th minute, Juli Smith, one of Westfield/Brocton’s key returners, put the finishing touches on the six goal shut out, with the assist coming from Katie Almeter, another key returner.

Now 2-0 on the season, and having not given up a goal on the season, with two more saves made in the shut out by Angel Busch yesterday, Westfield now has a tall task on a team that had their number all last season in the Maple Grove Red Dragons.

“They’re always tough. They always have a good program and they’re well coached. We lost to them three times last year so our girls should be ready to play them this year,” Huber said about the Red Dragons.

On the Dunkirk side of the ball, goalkeeper Tayler Skelly made 19 saves, as she was tested by the Lady Wolverines early and often, prompting her to give a strong performance in net in a losing effort.

The Red Dragons-Wolverines showdown will take place this afternoon at 3 p.m. in Maple Grove. The Lady Marauders are back in action Saturday afternoon at 4 p.m. when Southwestern comes to town.