BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State  University Bears will travel to Middlebury, Vermont to take on the 13th ranked Middlebury College Panthers in the opening round of the 2013 NCAA Division III Women's Soccer Tournament. The first round game will take place on Saturday, November 16th at 11:00 AM.

The Bears (9-8-2) will be making the program's third NCAA Tournament appearance and first since 2003 after capturing the MASCAC Tournament Championship on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Worcester State.  

Middlebury (13-1-3) is heading to the NCAAs for the third straight season and eighth time overall.  The Panthers, who cracked the National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) Division III poll on October 1st, captured both the New England Small College Athletic Conference (NESCAC) regular season and tournament titles.

Under the guidance of fourth-year head coach Lou Verrochi (35-34-8, .506), the Bears are led by All-MASCAC selections sophomore forward Mackenzie Hatfield (Whitman, Mass.), senior midfielder Katie Nasuti (Millbury, Mass.) and sophomore defender MaryRose Griffin (Whitman, Mass.), as well as senior forward Erica Jonasson and senior goaltender Kerry Condon (Whitman, Mass.). 

Jonasson (16 goals) and Hatfield (9 goals, 10 assists) have combined for 25 goals and 11 assists, while Nasuti enters the tournament with two goals and four assists for eight points. Hatfield earned MASCAC Tournament MVP honors after tallying two goals and two assists in the Bears' three tournament games.

Griffin anchors a defensive unit which has helped post three shutouts and a 1.64 goals against average through the first 19 games.  Condon is 4-4 with 31 saves and a 1.69 goals against average in eight games since missing the first 11 due to injury.

Tenth-year head coach Peter Kim (115-38-21, ) guides a Middlebury squad led by senior forward Scarlett Kirk (San Francisco, Calif.), senior midfielder Julia Favorito (Winchester, Mass.) and senior goalkeeper Elizabeth Foody (Ottawa, Ont.).

Kirk has a team-leading 11 goals and 25 points, while Favorito has dished out a team-best seven assists to go along with four goals.  Foody is 10-1-2 with 44 saves, a 0.52 goals against average and five shutouts.

The game marks the first ever meeting between the two teams.

In the other first round matchup in Middlebury on Saturday, The University of Scranton (15-2-3) will take on Endicott College (15-5-2) at 1:30 PM.  The winners will advance to the second round on Sunday at 1:30 PM also at Middlebury.  Ticket information will be announced on Tuesday.