DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Bridgewater State capitalized on a two-goal fourth quarter enroute to a 3-1 win over UMass Dartmouth in non-conference field hockey action on Monday night. The Bears are now 4-7 overall, while the Corsairs slip to 4-11 on the season.
After a scoreless opening quarter, the Bears got on the board first as senior midfielder Charlotte McElroy stepped up for a penalty stroke at 16:29. The Bears' captain beat Corsairs keeper
Hannah Trombly for the 1-0 advantage.
UMass Dartmouth battled back, tying things up at 20:53 as sophomore forward
Brooke Lydon sent a shot in on goal that was kick-saved by Bears goalie Brianna Gagnon. The ball caromed out and onto the stick of senior midfielder
Jenna Carvalho, who banked it in for the equalizer.
The teams remained deadlocked through the third quarter of action as Bridgewater State did their best to break the tie. The Bears benefited from four straight penalty corners near the end of the frame, but shots were blocked by the Corsairs defense or saved by Trombly to send it into the final frame.
In the final quarter, the Bears were awarded another penalty stroke, this time at the 49:29 mark. McElroy stepped up to the line once again, banging home another score past Trombly for the 2-1 lead.
Less than 10 minutes later, McElroy fired in a shot from just inside the circle on the far side. The ball sailed toward goal and was tipped in front and into the cage by rookie forward Samantha Souza for the insurance goal at 58:18.
UMass Dartmouth, which was awarded four straight corners of their own to start the frame, with two outstanding back-to-back shots on goal from junior forward
Brooke Lydon, were unable to find the back of the net to close out the game.
Gagnon – a junior – recorded five saves in the victory for the Bears, while Trombly stopped six shots in the defeat for the Corsairs.
The Corsairs return to the field on Saturday, traveling to Gorham, Maine for a 12pm LEC showdown against the University of Southern Maine.
