SALEM, Mass. – Senior midfielder Melanie Mason (Beverly, Mass.) potted the game-winning goal in overtime to lift the Salem State University field hockey team to a 2-1 victory over visiting Bridgewater State University in a Little East Conference (LEC) matchup on Saturday at Alumni Field.

The Vikings improve to 4-6 on the season and 2-4 in the Little East, while the Bears fall to 1-10 overall and 0-6 in conference play. Despite the setback, Bridgewater State maintains a 23-16-1 lead in the all-time series as the two teams have met every season since 1983.

Mason opened the scoring with 4:03 remaining in the second quarter. Twin sister Mikayla Mason (Beverly, Mass.) assisted on the marker.

Less than three minutes later, freshman forward Lexi James (Ipswich, Mass.) got the Bears on the board with her second goal of the season. James fired a backhander into the top left corner of the net to knot the score at 1-1.

Neither team scored in the second half as the game headed to overtime.

Off a penalty corner 4:18 into overtime, Mason blasted a shot inside the left post from just inside the circle to give the Vikings the dramatic win.

The Vikings finished with a 12-6 shot advantage for the game as well as a 12-11 edge in penalty corner attempts.

Junior goalkeeper Kaia Hollingsworth (Methuen, Mass.) made five save between the pipes for the host, while freshman netminder Madelyne Guidaboni (Hanson, Mass.) turned aside six shots in the setback for the Bears.

The Little East schedule continues for both teams on Tuesday night. The Bears entertain the Warriors of Eastern Connecticut State University at seven o'clock, while the Vikings host the Panthers of Plymouth State University at six.