BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Junior forward Jose DePina (Boston, Mass.) notched his first career hat trick to lead the Bridgewater State University men's soccer team to a season-opening 5-1 victory over non-conference foe Endicott College this afternoon at Swenson Field in Bridgewater.
The Bears (1-0) improve to 5-0 all-time against the Gulls (0-1-1) with the win.
DePina more than doubled his career goal-scoring output with his hat trick as he entered the 2010 campaign with two goals over his first two seasons. He got the Bears on the board in the 17th minute as senior defender Pat Kenneally (Braintree, Mass.) started the play with a long volley from midfield. Sophomore forward Matt Palatino (Ludlow, Mass.) flicked the ball on to Depina who finished on a one-time shot to the far post
In the 33rd minute, DePina was sent in on a break away off a nice through pass from freshman forward Craig Shadduck (Braintree, Mass.) and beat the Endicott keeper with a shot inside the near post.
Trailing 2-0 at the intermission, Endicott quickly cut the Bears' lead in half with an unassisted tally off the foot of junior midfielder Gregory Capece (Port Jefferson Station, NY) just 55 seconds into the second stanza.
The Bears reclaimed the two-goal advantage less than ten minutes later. Palatino won the ball off a cross from Shadduck and drilled a shot at point blank range which deflected off the Endicott keeper into the back of the net.
Sophomore forward Simao Mendes (Brockton, Mass.), the 2009 MASCAC Rookie of the Year, put BSU up 4-1 in the 65th minute off a throw in from junior forward Mike Fraser (Marshfield, Mass.). Mendes collected the ball at the 18 and rifled a shot into the upper right corner of the net.
DePina would complete his hat trick and capped off the scoring in the 74th minute. With Endicott under pressure, senior defender Mike White (Canton, Mass.) won the ball at the top of the 18 and touched a pass to DePina who ripped a one-timer past the Gulls' keeper.
Along with DePina's three-goal performance, Palatino finished with a goal and an assist while Shadduck notched a pair of assists in his first collegiate game.
Freshman goaltender Patrick Bowlby (Stoughton, Mass.) turned aside three shots to earn his first collegiate win between the pipes for the Bears. Sophomore Daniel Higgins (Kingstown, RI) made ten saves for the Gulls who were outshot by a margin of 22-5.
Bridgewater State will return to the pitch on Wednesday afternoon as the Bears host Mitchell College at 4:00 PM. Endicott travels to Nichols College on Saturday as the Gulls open up Commonwealth Coast Conference play.