BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Junior forward Dominek Borden (New Bedford, Mass.) scored in the 86th minute to lift top-seeded Bridgewater State University to a dramatic 1-0 victory over #4 seed Framingham State University in the semifinal round of the 2023 Massachusetts Stats Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Men's Soccer Tournament on Friday afternoon at Mazzaferro Field.

The Bears (11-2-5) advance to the MASCAC Championship Game for the tenth time in program history and will host #2 seed Westfield State University on Sunday at noon. Westfield advanced to the championship game on penalty kicks (4-2) after playing #3 Salem State University to a 2-2 tie through regulation and two overtime periods.

The Rams end the season with an overall record of 11-8-1.

Following a scoreless first 85 minutes, the Bears capitalized on turnover near midfield forced by Borden. Senior forward David Nelson (East Bridgewater, Mass.) sent a pass to freshman midfielder Nicholas Ribeiro (Bellingham, Mass.) on the right who dribbled in towards the 18 and sent a crossing pass that eluded Nelson as well as a Framingham defender. Borden, coming down the left side, ran onto the ball at the top of the six and buried a shot into the left side of the cage for his fourth goal of the season.

Ribeiro tied the Bears' single-season mark for assists with his tenth of the 2023 campaign. He equaled Domingos Leal's record set in 1990. 

Shots were even for the game at 12 apiece while both teams attempted four corner kicks.

BSU graduate goalkeeper William Russell (Sandwich, Mass.) made seven saves to record his 11 win of the season and sixth shutout. Russell also increased his career total to 24 wins and 13 1/2 shutouts as he is now fifth all-time in program history in shutouts and tied for fifth in wins. Five of Russell's seven stops came in the second half.

Junior netminder Joseph Sturzo (Lowell, Mass.) turned aside two shots in 86-plus minutes (86:46) minutes of work between the pipes for the Rams.

Notes: Bridgewater holds a 32-14-5 advantage in the all-time series which began in 1980 including a 5-2-1 mark in the MASCAC Tournament. All seven previous conference tournament games between the Bears and Rams were played at Framingham….With his assist, Nelson increased his career scoring total to 69 points as he moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Bears' all-time scoring list.