Women's Soccer Takes First Conference Loss, 2-1 at Bridgewater

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's soccer team edged defending Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) champion Westfield State University, 2-1, on Saturday afternoon at rain-soaked Mazzaferro Field.

The Bears improve to 9-5 on the season and a perfect 6-0 in the MASCAC as they clinched at least a share of the conference regular season title and the top seed in the upcoming MASCAC Tournament. The Owls fall to 9-6-1 overall and 5-1 in conference play.

The win marked Bridgewater's first regular season victory over Westfield since 2013. The Owls hold a 23-17-8 advantage in the all-time series as the two teams have met every season since Bridgewater added women's soccer as a varsity program in 1987.

Freshman forward Kiana Muratsuka (Mililani, Hawaii) staked the visitors to the 1-0 lead in the eighth minute as she blasted a shot inside the left post from the right side of the 18. Freshman midfielder Tia Tollis (East Longmeadow, Mass.) and sophomore forward Kiki McNary (Dummerston, Vt.) assisted on Muratsuka's 11th goal of the season.

Senior midfielder Sydney Dewhurst (East Bridgewater, Mass.) knotted the score at 1-1 in the 19th minute with her team-leading eighth goal of the season. Following a left side throw-in, junior midfielder Sydney Sousa (Dartmouth, Mass.) sent a high arcing crossing pass inside the 18 that Dewhurst headed into the top-left corner of the net. Senior forward Audra McDuffie (Millbury, Mass.) also assisted on the scoring strike.

The Owls nearly reclaimed the lead later in the opening stanza. Muratsuka rang one off the bottom of the crossbar in the 35^th minute, while BSU sophomore keeper Logan Levesque (Bristol, R.I.) made an outstanding leaping save and also got some help from the crossbar in the 40^th minute.

The game remained knotted at 1-1 until the 67^th minute when junior midfielder Tristen Gomes (Middleboro, Mass.) sent a crossing pass into the six. A Westfield defender attempted to clear the attempt out, but the ball went right to sophomore midfielder Abigail Shea (Somerset, Mass.) who buried a shot into the unguard right side of the cage. The goal marked Shea's first of the 2023 campaign.

Levesque finished with 11 saves on the afternoon including six in the second half to pick up her eighth win of the season.

Westfield held a decided 27-11 shot advantage for the game as well as a 7-4 edge in corner kick attempts.

Sophomore netminder Julia Robak (Chicopee, Mass.) turned aside five shots in the setback for the Owls.

The Bears travel to UMass Boston on Wednesday night for a seven o'clock game with the Beacons. The Owls host the Panthers of Plymouth State University on Tuesday afternoon at four.

-- release courtesy BSU sports info