By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Here's a look at the week ahead (Oct. 6-12) for the Bridgewater State University athletics teams:
TUESDAY
MEN'S TENNIS, at home, Emerson College, 3:30 PM: The Bears play their only match in the fall semester, hosting the Lions at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts.
BSU won the Little East Conference tournament last spring and reached the NCAA Division III tourney for the first time.
The Bears' first scheduled match in the spring is March 25 at home against Thomas College of Maine.
FIELD HOCKEY, at home, Worcester State, 7:00 PM: The Bears complete the first half of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference schedule, hosting the Lancers.
BSU (8-2, 4-1 MASCAC) and Worcester State (3-8, 3-2) split a pair of games in 2024.
The Lancers have won three of four games after starting the season 0-7.
WEDNESDAY
WOMEN'S TENNIS, at home, Western Connecticut State, 3:00 PM: It will be Senior Day at the Rosen Memorial Tennis Courts as the Bears conclude the home schedule.
Hannah Higgins (Rockland, Mass.) is BSU's lone senior.
The Bears are on a four-game winning streak, improving to 6-4 and 4-1 in the Little East, one-half game behind first-place Rhode Island College.
Western Connecticut State is 3-6 and 1-4 in the conference.
MEN'S SOCCER, at Rhode Island College, 4:00 PM: The Bears (6-5) play one of their three remaining non-conference games, traveling to Providence, R.I.
BSU is 2-0-1 in the last three meetings with RIC, including a 5-1 win last season.
RIC is 1-4-5 and 0-1-2 in the Little East.
WOMEN'S SOCCER, at home, Connecticut College, 7:00 PM: The Bears and the Camels meet for the first time in BSU's next-to-last non-conference game.
BSU is 3-6-2 while Connecticut College is 4-5, 0-5 in the NESCAC.
THURSDAY
WOMEN'S TENNIS, at the Grass Court Doubles Championships, 11:30 AM: The Bears take part in the tournament held at the International Tennis Hall of Fame in Newport, R.I.
The tourney was postponed on Sept. 25 due to rain.
SATURDAY
FIELD HOCKEY, at home, Fitchburg State, 11:00 AM: The Bears meet the Falcons for the second time this season.
BSU opened the MASCAC schedule on Sept. 16 with a 2-1 win at Fitchburg State, getting an overtime goal from Samantha Souza.
The Falcons began the week on the four-game winning streak and are 7-3, 4-1 in the MASCAC.
VOLLEYBALL, at home, Framingham State, Noon: The Bears play their first match since Oct. 2, hosting the Rams in a key MASCAC game.
BSU is on a three-game winning streak and is 9-3, 3-0 in the conference. Framingham State begins the week also 3-0 in the MASCAC and is 12-3 overall, winning seven straight games.
The Bears knocked the Rams out of the conference tourney in the semifinal round in 2024.
MEN'S SOCCER, at Salem State, 1:00 PM: The Bears were ousted from the 2024 MASCAC tourney by the Vikings on penalty kicks, eliminated in the semifinal round.
BSU opens the week atop the MASCAC standings at 4-1 while Salem State is 5-3-3 and 1-1-3 in the conference.
WOMEN'S SOCCER, at home, Salem State, 2:00 PM: The Vikings lost to the Bears a year ago, 2-0.
Salem State is 6-3-2, including 3-2 in the MASCAC.