BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Freshman midfielder Joseph Cruise (Brockton, Mass.) tallied the game-winning goal in the 77th minute to lead the Bridgewater State University men's soccer team to a 3-2 come-from-behind victory over visiting Salem State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest on Saturday evening at Swenson Field.
The Bears improve to 5-5-1 on the season and 2-1-1 in the MASCAC, while the Vikings slip to 2-5-3 overall and 0-2-2 in conference play.
Cruise potted his first collegiate goal off a give-and-go with senior midfielder Sawyer Fleck (Foxboro, Mass.) from inside the 18. Cruise slid a pass over to Fleck, broke for the net, collected the return pass in stride and slipped a shot inside the far post.
The Bears trailed 1-0 at the intermission and 2-1 in the second half.
Salem State freshman midfielder Grace Dos Santos (Brockton, Mass.) tallied the only goal of the first half in the 17th minute as he converted on a breakaway. Dos Santos dribbled around the BSU netminder and slid a shot into the empty net for his first collegiate goal.
Salem nearly made it a two-goal advantage when senior forward Kelly Abreu (Salem, Mass.) rang one off the crossbar in the 42nd minute.
BSU sophomore midfielder Kane Moran (Perth Australia) notched the equalizing tally in the 51st minute as he headed in a long service into the box by junior midfielder Cody Shannon (Norton, Mass.). For Moran, the goal marked his fourth of the season and third in the last two games.
The Vikings reclaimed the lead in the 57th minute on a header goal by sophomore midfielder Nathan Russell (Beverly, Mass). Off a restart, senior defender Bruno Comprido (Sao Paulo, Brazil) sent a long volley into the box and Russell headed the ball inside the left post for his first tally of the season.
Sophomore forward Filipe Gomes (Fogo, Cape Verde) answered for the Bears in the 62nd minute with his team-leading sixth goal of the season. Gomes delivered a shot into the left side of the net from the top of the 18 off a short crossing pass from Moran.
Salem held a slight 21-20 shot advantage as well as an 8-4 edge in corner kicks.
BSU senior netminder Colin Jepson (Sandwich, Mass.) made six saves to record his third win of the season and 30th in a Bridgewater State uniform.
Junior goalkeeper Greg Enos (Peabody, Mass.) turned aside eight shots in the setback for the Vikings.
Both teams are back in action on Wednesday night at seven. The Bears travel to MIT to take on the Engineers, while the Vikings entertain the Pilgrims of New England College.