BRIDGEWATER, Mass. - Senior midfielder Ashley Nardone (West Yarmouth, MA) tallied a pair of goals to lift the Bridgewater State College field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over visiting University of New England this afternoon at Swenson Field in Bridgewater.
Nardone's goals, her first two of the season, erased a 1-0 deficit as the Bears improved to 7-9 on the season. UNE falls to 7-8 overall as their modest three-game winning streak comes to an end. Bridgewater is now 4-1 all-time versus the Nor'easters since the teams first met in 2004.
After a scoreless first half, UNE freshman forward Michelle Oswald (Jay, ME) got the Nor'easters on the board as she tallied an unassisted goal off a penalty corner in the 37th minute. Nardone would even the score at 1-1 eleven minutes later off an assist from sophomore midfielder Jenny Jackson (Somerset, MA).
The Bears continued to apply the pressure in the offensive zone over the next ten minutes. Less than two minutes after Nardone's first goal, sophomore forward Bethany Bush (Littleton, MA) almost gave BSC the lead as she had the UNE goalie beat on the right side of the net but her shot just sailed past the post.
In the 58th minute, Nardone put the Bears in front off a perfectly executed penalty corner set up by senior midfielder Kelly Duchemin (Mashpee, MA) and junior forward Stephanie Barry (Pembroke, MA). Off a feed from Duchemin, Barry stick-handled into the circle and ripped a shot that was deflected by Nardone past the UNE keeper into the left side of the goal.
Bridgewater held off the Nor'easters the rest of the way thanks in large part to junior goaltender Chelsea Bracchi (Pembroke, MA) who made two terrific saves in the waning minutes to secure the victory. Bracchi, making just her second career start, turned aside ten shots to earn her first career victory.
Sophomore netminder Ayla Nelson (Auburn, MA) made two saves in goal for the Nor'easters who held an 11-7 advantage in shots and a 12-4 edge in penalty corners.
The Bears host their regular season finale on Saturday afternoon at 2 PM against Little East Conference rival Plymouth State University. Bridgewater needs a win on Saturday to secure a spot in the Little East Tournament. BSC could still get in with a loss depending upon the outcome of other conference games on Saturday. UNE will host a Commonwealth Coast Conference Tournament first round game on Saturday. The fourth seeded Nor'easters will take on fifth seeded Gordon College at noon.