BRIDGEWATER, Mas. -- Freshman midfielder Trevor Sparda (Scarborough, Maine) potted the game-winning goal in the 68th minute to lead visiting Roger Williams University to a 3-2 victory over Bridgewater State University in non-conference men's soccer action on Wednesday afternoon at Swenson Field.
The Hawks, who are ranked eighth in the latest NSCAA New England Division III poll, improve to 11-2 with their first win over the Bears since 1997. Bridgewater slips to 5-5-2 overall as the Bears suffered their fifth one-goal setback of the season.
BSU senior forward Colin Neri (Upton, Mass.) opened the scoring less than ten minutes into the game when he took advantage of a misplay by the keeper and deposited a shot inside the right post with the goaltender out of position.
The Hawks tied it up at 1-1 in the 35th minute as freshman forward Dan Kelly (Miller Place, N.Y.) headed in a corner kick that was served into the box by junior defender Andre Brueckner (West Simsbury, Conn.). The goal marked Kelly's first of his career.
The teams would head into the intermission with the score knotted at one apiece. Bridgewater held a 10-2 shot advantage over the first 45 minutes of play.
Neri gave the Bears a 2-1 lead just 2:41 into the second half as he potted his second goal of the game and fifth of the season. Off a short pass from senior forward David Wilson (Charlton, Mass.), Neri ripped a shot from the right side of the 18 and into the top left corner of the net.
Roger Williams evened the score on a Daniel Caruso (Tewksbury, Mass.) strike in the 65th minute. Caruso corralled a loose ball just outside the 18 after the BSU keeper came way out to punch out a cross. He lobbed a shot over the defense and into the unguarded net for his second goal of the season.
Sparda gave the Hawks their first lead of the game less than three minutes later. Sophomore forward James Sheldon (Amherst, N.H.) sent in a cross that eluded the outstretched hand of the BSU netminder. The ball landed at the feet of Sparta who slipped a shot into the unguarded right side of the net for his fourth goal of the campaign.
Bridgewater had a couple of golden scoring opportunities in the waning minutes of the contest. Junior forward Steve McAvoy's (Walpole, Mass.) shot sailed high on a semi-breakaway in the 87th minute. Then, with less than ten seconds remaining, sophomore defender Nicholas Keddie (Abington, Mass.) sent a long throw into the box. With the ball bouncing around, senior forward Craig Shadduck (Braintree, Mass.) one-timed a shot up over the cross bar as the Hawks escaped with the win.
The Bears outshot the Hawks, 9-8, in a chippy second half and 19-10 for the game. Bridgewater also held a slight 5-4 edge in corner kicks.
RWU junior goaltender Tom Mangels (Garden City, N.Y.) notched six saves to post his fifth win of the season. Senior Matt Bagley (Braintree, Mass.) made one save between the pipes for the Bears. BSU junior defender Josh Goehring (Haverhill, Mass.) also cleared a shot off the line less than two minutes after Neri's first goal.
In upcoming action, Bridgewater travels to Fitchburg State University on Saturday morning for a ten o'clock MASCAC game with the Falcons. Roger Williams entertains Commonwealth Coast Conference rival Nichols College on Saturday afternoon at three.