BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Rhode Island College men's soccer team handed host Bridgewater State University its first loss of the season as the Anchormen downed the Bears, 2-1, this afternoon from Swenson Field in Bridgewater.

Junior midfielder Hector Espildora Fortuno (Malaga, Spain) tallied both goals for visiting RIC (5-2) with the game-winner coming with less than five minutes remaining in regulation.

Fortuno opened the scoring in the 69th minute after teammate Louis Tavares (East Providence, R.I.) intercepted an ill-advised cross-field pass in the RIC offensive zone.  Tavares found an open Fortuno who blasted a shot from the 18 and beat the BSU keeper inside the left post.

That lead was short-lived however as less than two minutes later junior forward Mike Fraser (Marshfield, Mass.) knotted the game at 1-1 with his third marker of the season.  Sophomore midfielder Tucker Fairbanks (Plympton, Mass.) set up the goal as he made a nice run to the 18 and slid a pass towards the goal line.  A sliding Fraser beat a defender to the ball and was able to deflect it into the back of the net.

The game remained tied until the waning minutes when Fortuno received a pass from senior midfielder Jose Ruiz (Providence, R.I.).  Fortuno ripped a low shot from 22-yards out that deflected off the hand of the diving BSU keeper and into the bottom left corner of the net.

After an evenly played opening stanza, it was the Bears who nearly got on the board first with two great chances in the early stages of the second half.  Sophomore forward Simao Mendes (Brockton, Mass.) was stopped on a penalty kick by RIC junior goaltender Nic Clark (East Bridgewater, Mass.) in the 51st minute.  Four minutes later, Fairbanks nearly gave BSU the lead as his shot from the right of the 18 glanced off the far post.

Clark turned aside three shots to pick up the win in goal for the Anchormen, while Bridgewater junior netminder DJ Siewierski (Stow, Mass.) made six saves in the loss.  Shots were even at 14 apiece while the Anchormen held a 5-3 advantage in corner kicks.

Bridgewater State (5-1) will look to get back on the winning track as the Bears head to Fitchburg State on Saturday for a 6 o'clock MASCAC game with the Falcons.  RIC hosts Little East Conference rival Western Connecticut State on Saturday at one.