BEVERLY, Mass. -- Bridgewater State College received a hat-trick from freshman Simao Mendes (Brockton, Mass.) as the Bears downed Endicott College, 4-3, on Monday afternoon in Beverly, Mass. The Bears improve to 1-1 this season while the injury-riddled Gulls drop to 0-3.
Endicott got a pair of first-career goals from Robbie DiTommaso (Farmington, Conn.) and Kevin Ivester (Topsfield, Mass.) in the defeat.
The first half was filled with fireworks as Endicott was the first team on the scoreboard when DiTommaso took a Colin Doody (Wethersfield, Conn.) feed inside the box and deposited it into the back of the net for an early 1-0 lead. The Bears responded nearly 10 minutes later as Mendes netted his first goal of the game to knot the game at 1-1. Endicott's Ivester took the lead back for the Gulls with the first goal of his collegiate career on a pass from classmate Kevin Gnecco (North Hampton, N.H.).
Trailing 2-1, the Bears earned a free kick from near midfield and Pat Kenneally (Braintree, Mass.) found a slicing Matt Daniels (South Easton, Mass.) for a header inside the box to tie the game at two-all.
The Bears would have their first chance at a lead on a 1-on-1 fastbreak between Mendes and Endicott's keeper Daniel Higgins (Kingstown, R.I.) however Higgins made a spectacular one-handed diving save to keep the game tied at two. Unfortunately for the Gulls, a penalty in the box several minutes later would result in Mendes' second goal of the game as the freshman put the penalty kick past Higgins for a 3-2 Bridgewater lead.
Sloppy play would kill the Gulls shortly thereafter as Mendes forced a turnover at midfield and took it the distance, blasting a shot past Higgins and giving the Bears a comfortable 4-2 lead going into the break.
The second half was a defensive struggle as both teams battled for position. Endicott head coach Darren Murray decided to go to his bench for some fresh legs with less than 15 minutes to play and the move would result in a goal for the Gulls as Gregory Capece (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) took a through ball from Doody to cut the deficit to one goal, 4-3. The Gulls would apply pressure in the final minutes but the Bridgewater defense held strong as the Bears earned their first win of the season.
The Gulls' Higgins made five saves in the contest while facing 14 shots, including 13 in the first half. His counterpart, Bridgewater's Ryan Seifert (Ludlow, Mass.), made a pair of saves in his first win of the season.
The Gulls continue their five-game home stand on Saturday as Endicott begins TCCC play with a 3:30 p.m. matchup against Regis College at Endicott Stadium. Bridgewater continues its three-game road swing against Mitchell College on Wednesday at 4:00 p.m.