By Jim Fenton

DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University football team hit the toughest part of its schedule the past two weeks.

The Bears had to travel to Western Connecticut State University last weekend, then had a road game against the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth.

Those two teams are atop the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference with undefeated conference records, providing BSU with difficult challenges.

In both cases, the Bears struggled, first losing to Western Connecticut State a week ago, 49-7, then being no match for UMass Dartmouth on Saturday night at Cressy Field.

The Corsairs bolted to a 30-0 halftime lead on the way to a 51-7 victory over BSU. That sets up a first-place showdown next week between Western Connecticut State and UMass Dartmouth.

The Bears allowed 518 yards of total offense to the Corsairs, including 363 through the air and 155 on the ground.

Graduate student Dante Aviles-Santos (Cumberland, R.I.) completed 22 of 40 passes for 330 yards and four touchdowns, and two other Corsairs threw for a score.

BSU was limited to 270 yards of offense and scored its lone TD in the fourth quarter after falling behind, 44-0.

The Bears (2-5, 2-4 MASCAC) have three games remaining, starting on Saturday at home agains Fitchburg State University at noon.

UMass Dartmouth scored its first of seven touchdowns on the second play of the game as Jael Cabrera caught a 51-yard pass from Aviles-Santos.

Sophomore Alex Moses (Township, N.J.) added the point after for a 7-0 lead 29 seconds into the game.

On their second possession, the Corsairs went up, 10-0, when freshman Connor McManus (New Bedford, Mass.) made a 30-yard field goal with 9:18 to go in the first quarter.

UMass Dartmouth went 66 yards in 11 plays to take a 16-0 lead with 10:14 to go in the half, Aviles-Santos throwing a 13-yard TD pass to junior Naseim Harrison (East Hartford, Conn.). The PAT attempt failed.

Senior Jonathan Brightman (Wareham, Mass.) intercepted a BSU pass and brought it to the Corsairs 34. That led to a six-play, 66-yard drive that ended with an 18-yard TD catch by senior Angel Sanchez (Providence, R.I.) from Aviles-Santos with 4:39 left in the half to make it 23-0.

Senior Sam Alicea (Providence, R.I.) recovered a BSU fumble at the Bears 24, and two plays later, Isaiah Cole (Cumberland, R.I.) threw a 14-yard TD pass to senior Jalyn Aponte (Natick, Mass.) with 1:51 left in the half for a 30-0 advantage.

Aviles-Santos and Harrison connected on a 73-yard TD pass with 7:06 to go in the third quarter to make it 37-0.

The Corsairs then returned an interception 36 yards for a TD to boost the lead to 44-0 with 6:50 to go in the third quarter.

The Bears got on the scoreboard with 7:43 remaining in the game, going 62 yards in six plays to make it 44-7.

Freshman Jeremiah Julmiste (Wesley Chapel, Fla.) scored on a 7-yard run to end the drive, which lasted 3:03. Junior kicker Joey Naso (Hopewell Junctioin, N.Y.) added the point after try, the 92nd of his career. Naso tied BSU Hall of Famer Chris Carr (1998-2000) for second place on the Bears' all-time PAT list. He is just one extra point shy of BSU Hall of Famer Ripp Charters' (1987-90) all-time program mark of 93.

A 1-yard TD pass from sophomore JC Petrongolo (Quincy, Mass.) to junior Hunter Remington (Johnston, R.I.) with 3:38 left finished the scoring.

Sanchez caught 11 passes for 133 yards and Harrison had two catches for 86 yards for the Corsairs.

Freshman Jaden Moseley (North Providence, R.I.) was 4-for-12 for 85 yards for BSU while freshman Shamus Whiting (Plymouth, Mass.) was 2-for-5 for 58 yards and senior SP Pragano (Northford, Conn.) was 2-for-7 for 12 yards.

Freshman Josh Registre (Waltham, Mass.) was BSU's top receiver with three catches for 78 yards while Julmiste gained 39 yards on eight carries.

BSU senior defensive back Zachary Souza (Tyngsboro, Mass.) led all players with a career-high 15 tackles (nine solo). Souza also broke up a pass.

The UMD defense forced five turnovers, including four interceptions, and held the Bears to 270 yards of total offense. Bridgewater went 4-for-13 (31%) on third down and 0-for-2 on fourth down.

UMass Dartmouth has won four straight games against BSU, which leads the series, 20-16, dating back to 1988.