BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Senior midfielder Nicole Simas (Dartmouth, Mass.) tallied a pair of goals including the game-winner in overtime to lift the Bridgewater State University women's soccer team to a dramatic 2-1 victory over visiting Plymouth State University on Saturday evening at Swenson Field. The game marked the home opener for Bridgewater State.
The host Bears improve to 1-3 on the young season with the win, while the Panthers fall to 2-1 with their first setback.
Simas potted the game-winner just 3:37 into overtime as she scored off a corner kick sent into the box by sophomore forward Alana Vincent (Taunton, Mass.). Sophomore forward Amelia Burke (Plymouth, Mass.) was the first to the ball as she one-timed a short pass to Simas who slipped a shot into the right side of the next from just outside the six.
Bridgewater trailed 1-0 at the break. Freshman midfielder Diana Whittier (Sutton, Mass.) staked the Panthers to the 1-0 lead in the 34th minute as she one-timed a corner kick from freshman forward Mallory Lloyd (Hartland, Vt.) into the back of the net.
The Bears had a number of scoring opportunities in the first half, but were unable to find to finish. Sophomore midfielder Allison Aldred (Saugus, Mass.) rang the crossbar in the 32nd minute and the Bears also had six shots blocked.
Simas notched the game-tying goal in the 53rd minute off a free kick. Sophomore defender Kaitlyn Bongarzone (Mansfield, Mass.) sent a long volley into the box and Simas redirected the ball past the Plymouth netminder and into the left side of the net.
The Bears held a decided 32-11 shot advantage for the game while the Panthers finished with a 9-6 edge in corner kick attempts.
BSU senior netminder Lauren DeSousa (Taunton, Mass.) turned aside three shots to record her first win of the season.
Junior Leandra Nault (Goffstown, N.H.) and freshman Molly Robinson (Millstone, N.J.) split the game between the pipes for the Plymouth State. Nault played the first half and made five saves, while Robinson went the rest of the way and recorded four saves.
Both teams return to the pitch on Wednesday. The Bears host Rhode Island College at 7:00 PM, while the Panthers entertain Southern Vermont College at 4:00 PM.