NORTH ADAMS, Mass. – Senior midfielder Nicole Simas (Dartmouth, Mass.) scored the game-winning goal with 4:26 remaining in the second overtime period to lift the visiting Bridgewater State University women's soccer team to a 1-0 double overtime victory over MCLA on Friday evening in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) contest at Shewcraft Field.
The game marked the regular season finale for both teams. The Bears improve to 9-5-2 overall and 5-1-1 in the MASCAC with the win, while the host Trailblazers end the 2018 campaign with a record of 6-11 (1-6 MASCAC). Bridgewater is seeded second in next week's MASCAC Tournament and will receive a first round bye. The Bears will host a semifinal round game on Friday, November 2nd against the winner of the quarterfinal round matchup between #3 Westfield State University and #6 Fitchburg State University.
Midway through the second overtime session, Simas collected a throw-in from inside the 18, cutback and ripped a shot from the penalty kick area that deflected off a defender and into the right side of the net. The goal marked Simas' team-leading eighth of the season and 21st of her career. Four of her eight goals in 2018 have been game-winners.
Bridgewater State dominated play from beginning to end but couldn't beat MCLA junior netminder Megan Richardson (Adams, Mass.) until Simas' game-winner. The Bears finished with a decided 42-3 shot advantage as well as a 13-1 edge in corner kick attempts.
BSU junior goalkeeper Kellie Souza (Wilmington, Mass.) was forced to make just one save as she recorded her ninth win of the season and second shutout.
Richardson turned aside 20 shots in the setback, many of the highlight variety. Bridgewater had a golden chance to end the contest with about ten minutes to play when Simas was stopped twice. The first brought Richardson off the line and she made a sprawling save. Simas then headed the rebound towards the right corner, but a Trailblazer defender cleared the ball just shy of the goal line. In the first OT, Bridgewater thought they had it won on the opening possession. Junior forward Alana Vincent's (Taunton, Mass.) shot was very close to crossing the line, but Richardson got just enough of it to keep the game scoreless for the time being.