By Jim Fenton, The Enterprise (Brockton)
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women’s basketball roster is loaded with underclassmen this season.
Nicole Bostick of Taunton is the lone senior on a team that includes seven freshmen, four sophomores and three juniors, so the Bears have gone through a learning experience.
“We’re very young,” said coach Bridgett Casey. “There were games we let get away and our youth showed.”
Bridgewater State has made progress this season, and part of the experience now includes winning a game in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament.
The fourth-seeded Bears advanced Tuesday night at the Tinsley Center, leading start to finish to eliminate fifth-seeded Salem State University, 81-61. BSU (11-15) now plays at top-seeded Framingham State University (20-5) in the semifinal round Thursday night.
“We have nothing to lose,” said Casey. “They’re 12-0 (in the MASCAC), sitting at the top of the league. We’ve got to bring almost a perfect game and see where we are at the end.”
BSU was solid for nearly the entire 40 minutes against Salem State (6-19), defeating the Vikings for the third time this season.
The Bears jumped out to an 11-0 lead in the opening 5:25 and held a 22-10 edge after one quarter. The Vikings limited BSU to nine points in the second quarter and were within 31-24 at halftime, but the Bears took over in the third quarter.
They outscored Salem State, 28-15, going on a 19-4 run in the last 5:05 of the quarter to take a 59-39 lead. BSU was ahead by as many as 26 during the fourth quarter.
“We’ve seen that. We’re capable of that,” said Casey of the way her team played. “It’s obviously nice to come out ready to play in a big tournament game.
“When we needed big shots, we hit big shots. When we needed big stops, we got big stops. For a young team, it’s nice to see. It’s difficult to beat a team three times in a season, so we put a little wrinkle in the game plan, a 2-3 matchup defense, which I thought was effective at times.”
The Bears had a balanced offense against Salem State and shot 49 percent from the field, including 39 percent on 3-pointers.
Sophomore Hannah Dziadyk led the way with 20 points, getting six 3-pointers, to go with nine rebounds and three assists in 25 minutes off the bench.
“She’s had a nice little year for herself,” said Casey. “If her shot’s falling, it opens up things inside. If she’s on, we’re going to be tough to beat.”
Junior center Destiny Fitzgerald added 16 points on 7 for 8 shooting with eight rebounds and two blocks in 17 minutes.
“She’s a game changer,” said Casey. “She can score inside and she can alter shots.”
Also in double figures were Bostick, a Coyle-Cassidy High graduate who had 14 points, four rebounds and three assists, and sophomore Olivia Dziadyk with 10 points plus seven assists.
“In the games that we struggled, you see maybe one or two (scores in double figures), and that’s been the difference,” said Casey. “When it’s spread out and everyone has a hand in it, it’s great.”
BSU dropped its regular-season games against Framingham State, losing at home on Jan. 25, 78-59, and on the road Feb. 19, 85-63. The winner of the Bears-Rams game advances to the MASCAC title game Saturday afternoon.