By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's soccer team started the 2024 season with a home loss.

The Bears were edged by Johnson & Wales University, 2-1, at Mazzaferro Field on Friday night in a game pitting two teams that reached the NCAA Division 3 tournament last season.

BSU, the defending Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference champion, and Johnson & Wales both lost opening-round NCAA tourney games in Medford last November.

The Wildcats scored a goal in each half and broke a 1-1 tie with less than nine minutes remaining for the opening-night victory on the road.

Johnson & Wales, picked to finish second in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference after going 14-2-5 a year ago, took a 1-0 lead at 38:32 on a goal by senior Brian Miller (Ramsey, N.J.).

After the Bears cleared out a corner kick, the ball went to Miller just outside the 18-yard line and he scored on a bicycle kick with the ball going inside the right post.

BSU attempted to tie the game with just over a minute to go in the opening half, but the goal was called back due to offsides.

The Bears, picked to finish first in the MASCAC, finally got on the scoreboard early in the second half at 48:01 when senior Jacob Ramos (New Bedford, Mass.) scored on a penalty kick.

Ramos scored a single goal in each of his first three seasons at BSU.

Johnson & Wales snapped the tie at 81:25 when sophomore Christopher Vargas (Providence, R.I.) scored with sophomore Vincent Tredici (Ramsey, N.J.) assisting. Vargas tucked a shot inside the right post from 25 yards out.

BSU senior goalkeeper Lukas Ekmanis (Baxter, Tenn.) had seven saves. Ekmanis made his tenth career start and just his third since 2021.

Wildcats senior goalkeeper Declan Caster (Charlestown, R.I.) stopped four shots.

The Bears held a 16-13 advantage in shots while the Wildcats had a 9-6 edge in shots on goal. BSU senior Dominek Borden (New Bedford, Mass.) led all players with four shots.

The teams also opened the 2023 season with BSU and Johnson & Wales playing to a 1-1 draw last Sept. 1 in Rhode Island.

The Bears play their first road game on Tuesday night when they travel to West Hartford, Conn., to take on the University of Saint Joseph at 6 p.m.

The Wildcats are home Sunday at 6 p.m. to play Salve Regina University.