GORHAM, Maine – Senior Beth Phillips (Worcester, Mass.) notcher her first career hat trick to lead a powerful Bridgewater State University Bears offense to an 8-3 romp over the University of Southern Maine Huskies in a Little East Conference field hockey game Saturday afternoon at Hannaford Field in Gorham, Maine.

The win is the fifth straight for the Bears who remain undefeated at 5-0 while improving their conference record to 2-0.  The loss stops a two-game win streak for Southern Maine and cuts its record to 4-2 and 1-1 in the Little East.

Phillips scored two of her goals in the first half as the Bears jumped on top of the Huskies early and cruised to a 4-1 halftime lead.  Phillips scored her first goal of the game just two minutes after the starting whistle on an assist from junior Demi Miskiv (Centerville, Mass.). Miskiv finished the game with a pair of goals and an assist as she has scored five goals over the last two games.

Trailing the Bears 5-1 in the 43rd minute after a goal from BSU senior Shelby Farland (Fiskdale, Mass.), the Huskies fought their way back into the game.  USM sophomore Peyton Dostie (Standish, Maine) scored her team leading sixth goal of the game in the 44th minute, while freshman Kelsey Morin (Buxton, Maine) scored her first collegiate goal in the 57th minute for a 5-3 Bears' lead.

Dostie nearly brought the Huskies to within a goal on a near miss to the far post minutes later, but Miskiv notched an unassisted strike in the 66th minute to give the Bears a two-goal cushion.  Frehsman Kelsey Kiely (Mansfield, Mass.) and Phillips each scored a goal in the final two minutes of action for the 8-3 win.

Farland led all players with a goal and three assists.  She has six goals and four assists for 16 points over the first five games.

Bridgewater State senior goalkeeper Cassie Johansen (Port Jefferson Station, N.Y.) made five saves in the win.  USM sophomore Lindsey Fortin (Berwick, Maine) took the loss allowing two goals and making three saves in 19:31 of action.  Junior Kayla Kennedy (Windham, Maine) allowed three goals in 27:37 with four saves, while freshman Casey White (Brewer, Maine) made five saves and allowed three goals in the final 22:52 of the game.

Southern Maine hosts Bowdoin College on Tuesday (4:00 p.m.).  Bowdoin is currently the fifth ranked team in the nation in the latest NFHCA Division III National Coaches Poll.  Bridgewater State travels to Babson College on Tuesday (6:00 p.m.).