By John Johnson, The Boston Globe

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Nicholas Keddie’s name rarely appears on the scoresheet. The 5-foot-8-inch senior from Abington registered two assists in the first 21 games for the MASCAC champion Bridgewater State men’s soccer team this fall.

The Bears (17-3-1, 7-0 MASCAC) allowed just five goals in 11 games down the stretch, including a run of six consecutive shutouts, to earn a spot in the NCAA Division 3 tournament.

The presence of zeros on the opposing team’s ledger is a testament to Keddie’s importance to the squad as a lockdown defender. BSU captured the conference tournament title with a 3-2 win over Framingham State Sunday.

“He’s a very smart kid and is well-respected by his teammates,” said Bridgewater coach Brendan Adams.

“He’s definitely a kid that you model your players after. We knew he was a great leader, but we weren’t expecting him to be so good at one-on-one defense.”

After transferring from Salve Regina prior to his sophomore year, Keddie has started 61 consecutive games.

He has six career assists, and is one of two players this season to start l 21 games for the Bears.

He helped BSU qualify for the NCAAs in 2013, when it lost to Amherst, 3-0, in the first round. A two-time captain at Cardinal Spellman, Keddie helped the Cardinals go undefeated twice during the regular season. Bridgewater plays at MIT on Saturday.

Q. How did it feel to capture the MASCAC and earn a bid to the NCAA tourney?

A. It was a great feeling walking off that field knowing that we are going to NCAAs one more time. I knew the first day of tryouts that we had the capability to get this far.

Q. Talk about your captaincy.

A . I think kids play off of my momentum because I always try to play as hard as I possibly can. I think kids look up to me and try to replicate that.

Q. The defense has been on fire. What’s the secret?

A. We had six shutouts in a row. It’s unbelievable that our defensive line could hold back that many goals along with our goalie [Colin Jepson]. It comes down to great communication and chemistry between our back four and the midfield.

Q. As a senior, how nice would it be to go on a long postseason run?

A. We really want to. We don’t plan on losing the first game, that’s for sure. It doesn’t matter to us where we play. We want to win wherever we go.

Q. What is your best attribute when you are on the field?

A. I think just playing as hard as possible and never stopping and never giving up.

Q. Do you have a player from any sport that you look up to?

A. I’ve always been a big fan of Bobby Orr. Just because he was a defenseman but also he could do anything on the ice that he wanted to. He’s definitely a role model.

Q. What has been your toughest class?

A. Probably real estate financial management. There were lots of crazy equations and just a lot to know.

Q. Is there a soccer player that you emulate?

A. My sister, Alexandria. She was always a great player, so I try to include some aspects of her game in how I play. She played at St. Peter’s University in New Jersey.

Q. Any pregame rituals?

A. The team likes to listen to music before every game. Also, I pray before every game for a friend of mine, Joey Glynn, who died in 2013. He was a basketball player at Cardinal Spellman and one of my friends in high school. I wear his wristband before every game, and if I get away with it and the refs let me play with it, it gives me that extra boost to play harder.

Q. What would it mean to do some damage in the NCAAs?

A. It would probably be the best feeling in my life.