By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Her record-setting lacrosse career at Hull High School was over, and Lauren Geary was eager to keep playing the sport.

There were some Division 3 college programs interested in adding a player who scored 279 goals in high school, but a connection was never made due to finances, she said.

So Geary decided to enroll at Bridgewater State in the fall of 2012 and take her chances as a walk-on candidate.

The Bears’ lacrosse program was going through a coaching change with Erika Smith replacing Paula Habel, and Geary didn’t have any contact with the BSU staff until arriving at school in September.

Geary went to lacrosse try-outs in October, and after making quite an impression, joined the team for preseason training camp in January where she solidified a spot on the roster.

“I actually didn’t even expect to make the team because I was a walk-on,’’ said Geary, now a junior midfielder. “I didn’t get recruited. They had tryouts and I made the team.

“Oh, I was terrified. I had to knock it out of the park. My freshman year was a very good team, too. The seniors were all good players. Being a walk-on, it definitely pushed me because I wanted to prove I could make the team.’’

Geary has been an important part of the Bears since joining the lineup in the 2013 season, earning All-Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference first-team honors three straight years and being named the conference rookie of the year as a freshman.

She was picked as the most valuable player of the MASCAC tournament last weekend and has helped BSU reach the NCAA Division 3 tourney for a sixth straight year. The Bears play Saint Joseph’s College in Brunswick, Maine, this afternoon.

As was the case at Hull, Geary is piling up goals for the Bears, ranking eighth on the program’s all-time list with 162, and she is ninth with 210 points.

Geary is having one of the most productive seasons in program history with 72 goals in 20 games, ranking behind only Jenny Jones (79 in 2010 and 73 in 2011).

With the graduation of Taylor Clancy, who had 71 goals last season, Geary (12 assists, 84 points) knew BSU was in need of more scoring.

“I’d say losing the leaders we had has helped me,’’ said Geary, who leads the MAS CAC in goals, shots and draw controls and is second in points. “The people we had before were the big scorers and I knew someone else had to step up.’’

Geary helped Hull High win the state basketball championship as a junior and played 22 games for the BSU women’s basketball team as a sophomore.

She is concentrating full-time on lacrosse this year and has put together a brilliant season as a goal-scoring machine and a top-notch defender.

“What’s great about Lauren is she plays midfield, so she’s doing it on both ends,’’ said first-year coach Gina Riitano. “We will put her on the biggest threat the opponent has, and she’s done a great job.

“She’s just a great athlete. She’s very tenacious and plays great body defense. She transitions. She’s very valuable all over the field.’’

Said Geary, who had 44 goals as a fresh man and 46 as a sophomore: “I’m not really the playmaker on offense, but on defense, I can be the playmaker. The harder you work, you can get the ball back. I love getting caused turnovers.’’

Senior Riley Cachelin leads the MASCAC with 65 assists and 90 points and has set up Geary for numerous goals.

“Her hand-eye coordination is just spectacular,’’ said Riitano of Geary. “She sees the ball really well. Riley Cachelin sees her really well coming in and lobs it up and Lauren will find it and put it away in the back of the net. She won’t rest until it’s in the back of the net.’’

With one full season remaining after the NCAA tourney, Geary will have a chance to find the back of the net a lot more in 2016.

She could become only the fourth player in program history to record at least 200 goals and will be going for a fourth straight all-conference selection.

It is a long way from the uncertainty that Geary felt while going through those tryouts in the fall of 2012.

“I definitely played my hardest because I wanted to make it,’’ she said. “It was definitely awesome to make the team. I was hoping I’d be here.’’