BRIDGEWATER, Mass. - In New England Women's Lacrosse Alliance (NEWLA) action, the Bridgewater State College Bears breezed to a 25-0 victory over Thomas College this afternoon from Swenson Field in Bridgewater. The game was the conference opener as well as the home opener for the Bears who returned to the NEWLA after a three-year hiatus.
Bridgewater, who improved to 2-1 on the season and 1-0 in league play, recorded 19 assists in the game to break the single-game school mark of 18 assists set last season versus Westfield State. The 19 assists is also the third highest single-game total in Division III history. Shenandoah University holds the Division III record with 21 assists against Averett University in 2004.
Fifteen different players scored at least one goal for Bridgewater State, who led 16-0 at the half, including five who tallied their first collegiate goals. Freshman attack Patricia Maloney (Walpole, MA) paced the Bears with three goals and four assists for a seven-point performance.
BSC sophomore scoring leader Shannon Manning (Framingham, MA) notched three goals to go along with three assists, five groundballs, four draw controls and three caused turnovers. Manning has 11 goals and seven assists in three games this season. Senior midfielder Alison Gugliotta (Norwood, MA) added two goals, two assists, five ground balls and two caused turnovers.
First-time scorers for the Bears were freshmen Caitlin Young (Holden, MA), Erin Quimby (Chelmsford, MA) and Kiley Brown (Ashby, MA), and sophomores Chelsea Bracchi (Pembroke, MA) and Kelly Downs (Hanover, MA). Young, Bracchi and Downs tallied two goals apiece, while Quimby and Brown added one each. Bracchi also added four ground balls and three draw controls.
BSC forced 19 turnovers in the game and limited Thomas to just three shots. The Bears outshot the Terriers by a margin of 41-3 shot, and held a 23-4 advantage in draw controls.
Freshman netminder Katie Weber (Arlington, MA), making her first appearance of the season, turned aside two shots to earn her first collegiate win. Senior defender Heather Anza (Weston, MA) player a great all-around game as she tallied three ground balls and a draw control, forced a turnover, and notched a pair of assists.
Junior goaltender Ashley French (Rindge, NH) made eight saves between the pipes for Thomas.
Bridgewater State will be back in action on Monday afternoon as the Bears host non-conference rival Wheaton College at 4 PM.