By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University field hockey team is on a three-game winning streak, moving near the .500 mark.
The Bears defeated Worcester State University, 4-1, at Mazzaferro Field on Saturday, ending a six-game losing streak against the Lancers.
Junior Raegen Perry (Nantucket, Mass.) scored a pair of goals and junior Lexi James (Ipswich, Mass.) had a pair of assists to lead the way.
It marked BSU's first win over Worcester State, the defending Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season and tournament champions, since scoring a 2-1 victory at home on Sept. 25, 2018.
The Bears are riding their first three-game winning streak since Oct. 13-23, 2018.
BSU is now 6-7 and 3-4 in the MASCAC. Worcester State falls to 5-9 and 4-3 in the conference.
The Bears took a 1-0 lead 11:13 into the game when Perry scored from freshman Taylor Carter (Walpole, Mass.).
A centering pass from Carter off a penalty corner went to Perry in the slot, and her shot was wristed inside the right post.
It was Perry's second goal of the season and the fifth assist for Carter, who is second on the team.
BSU made it 2-0 in the second period at 20:41 when freshman Samantha Souza (Dartmouth, Mass.) scored her team-leading eighth goal, assisted by senior Charlotte McElroy (Carver, Mass.).
The ball was sent to the net off a penalty corner to Souza, who turned and slipped a shot inside the right post.
Just 2:03 into the second half, the Lancers got within 2-1 when freshman Kate Harrison (Chelmsford, Mass.) scored her second goal of the season from junior Natalya Morin (Barre, Mass.).
Worcester State moved the ball from its own end and Morin had it in the center of the field. Her pass found Harrison at the left side of the net where she scored.
The Bears went up, 3-1, at 38:58 when Perry scored again from James. Perry scored off a scramble in front of the cage following a shot from 15 yards away.
Freshman Kallie Rose (Dartmouth, Mass.) recorded her second career goal at 46:14, assisted by James, who has four this season.
Junior goalkeeper Brianna Gagnon (Tewksbury, Mass.) made five saves for the Bears while junior Madison Ferrara (Somerset, Mass.) had six saves for the Lancers.
BSU outshot Worcester State, 16-3, and had a 10-6 edge in shots on goal and 16-3 in penalty corners.
BSU and Worcester State split the season series with the Bears losing on the road, 3-2, in overtime on Sept. 27.
BSU holds a 25-22 edge in a series that began in 1983.
The Bears will play again on Friday at 7 p.m. at Mazzaferro Field against Nichols College in a non-conference matchup. That will be Senior Night for BSU.
Worcester State will host Fitchburg State on Saturday at noon.