WESTFIELD, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's soccer team defeated Westfield State University, 1-0, in a battle for the top spot in the MASCAC standings on Saturday, Oct. 24 at Alumni Field.

The Bears improve to 13-2-1 overall and 6-0 in the MASCAC, while the Owls fall to 5-9-1 (4-2 MASCAC).

The Bears attacked in the seventh minute on a corner kick for the game's only goal. Freshman midfielder Diego DelasCasas (Miami, Fla.) served the ball to the far post connecting with junior defender Jonathan Pires (Medford, Mass.) whose header filled the net at point blank range.

Westfield had their best chance of the day to draw even when Brodie Keene (Feeding Hills, Mass.) attempted to chip Bridgewater junior keeper, Colin Jepson (Sandwich, Mass.), from 30 yards. The lobbed shot was punched high by a fully extended Jepson before the deflection hit the top half of the crossbar.

Jepson turned aside nine shots, including eight in the second half when the Bears played most of the period down a man, to record his school record-breaking sixth straight shutout and school record-tying tenth shutout of the season.

Jepson eclipsed the Bears' previous consecutive shutout mark of five set in 1988 and equaled Pat Hughes' single-season mark of ten set in 1990.

Owls' keeper Alex Kraver (West Springfield, Mass.) made seven saves on the day.

Both teams return to action on Wednesday, Oct. 28, at 7:00 p.m. Westfield travels to Danbury, Conn. to face Western Connecticut and Bridgewater hosts Babson.