NORTH ADAMS, Mass. -- Sophomore forward Matt Palatino scored a pair of goals to lift the visiting Bridgewater State University men's soccer team to a 2-1 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) win over the MCLA Trailblazers on Saturday afternoon at Shewcraft Field in North Adams. 

The win clinched the two seed for Bridgewater (12-4, 5-2 MASCAC) in next week's MASCAC Tournament, while the setback drops MCLA to 8-7-1 overall and 3-4 in conference play.  The Bears will host third-seeded Salem State in the tournament semifinals next Wednesday at 7:00 PM.

After a scoreless first half, the Palatino took a Mike Fraser feed and beat MCLA keeper Adam Tarsa for a 1-0 edge at the 55 minute mark.  Palatino would strike again collecting a long ball and dribbling in to beat Tarsa short side with just seventeen minutes remaining. 

With the game slipping away, MCLA caught a break when Bridgewater was whistled for a hand ball inside the box resulting in a penalty kick in the 80th minute.  Senior Israel Diaz would convert cutting the deficit in half.  The Trailblazers would turn up the pressure but were limited in opportunities in the closing minutes.

The first half saw the Bears control play as they outshot the hosts 19-1. Many of the shots were from outside the eighteen as neither team could find the back of the net.

For the game, Bridgewater would outshoot MCLA 33-10, while MCLA held a 7-1 edge in corners.

Bridgewater's DJ Siewierski earned the victory in net stopping six shots, while Tarsa would collect ten saves.

Before the game, MCLA honored Diaz, Tarsa, and fellow senior Mitch Maselli on Senior Day.