By Jim Fenton

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's team won its third straight game Saturday afternoon, improving to 5-3-2.

Junior Gavin Norton (Rockland, Mass.) and senior Nicolas Matias (Framingham, Mass.) each had a goal and an assist as the Bears defeated Framingham State University, 5-1.

First-place BSU is 3-0 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference.

The Bears are now 33-14-5 against the Rams since the series started in 1980.

Framingham State (0-8-2, 0-3 MASCAC) has dropped six straight games.

BSU held a 3-1 lead at halftime, then added a pair of second-half goals.

Junior Filippo Mucci (Vineyard Haven, Mass.) opened the scoring 22:54 into the game as he converted a cross from Norton. Mucci leads the Bears' this season with four goals.

At 30:19, sophomore Ethan Mallett (Ellington, Conn.) made it 2-0 with sophomore Nicholas Ribeiro (Bellingham, Mass.) assisting. Mallett delivered a shot inside the near post from the top of the 18.

Framingham State cut the deficit in half at 36:28 when freshman Jose Figuero (Miami Beach, Fla.) scored, assisted by Yuji DaSilva (Worcester, Mass.).

The Bears went up, 3-1, at 40:40 when senior Dominek Borden (New Bedford, Mass.) scored his first goal of the season, an unassisted tally.

At 53:07, the lead went to 4-1 when Norton headed home a cross sent into the box by Matias. The goal marked Norton's first of the 2024 campaign.

The scoring concluded at 77:06 on a goal by Matias with senior Carsten Boloz (Southborough, Mass.) getting the assist. Boloz drove the end line and slipped a pass to an open Matias who converted his second marker of the season.

BSU senior goalkeeper Lukas Ekmanis (Baxter, Tenn.) made four saves to improve to 4-3-1. Ekmanis turned aside a penalty kick attempt in the 38th minute that would have knotted the score at 2-2.

Framingham State freshman goalkeeper Michael Walker (Bridgewater, Mass.) stopped 11 shots.

BSU had a 26-11 edge in shots and a 16-5 advantage in shots on goal. Borden and Mucci had three shots on goal each for the Bears.

BSU returns home Tuesday afternoon to face Middlebury, which is ranked No. 5 in the national Division 3 poll.

The Panthers are 7-0-2 and have recorded five shutouts.

Framingham State travels to Emerson for a 6 p.m. game on Tuesday.