BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University women's soccer team opened the 2011 season with a convincing 4-1 victory over visiting Newbury College on Saturday evening at Swenson Field.

The Bears (1-0) received goals from sophomore midfielder Katie Nasuti (Millbury, Mass.), senior forward Amber LaPorte (New Hartford, Conn.), sophomore midfielder Katie Johnson (Marshfield, Mass.) and junior defender Melanie Thomson (Abington, Mass.).  Nasuti, Johnson and Thomson all scored their first collegiate goals.

Nasuti opened the scoring in the 17th minute off a feed from senior forward Jade Kluver (Westerly, R.I.).  Newbury (0-1) tied the game at 1-1 in the 36th minute when Nighthawk forward Ashleigh Guy took advantage of a Bridgewater turnover and slid a shot past the BSU goaltender and into the right side of the net.

The game remained deadlocked until the 64th minute when LaPorte headed in a corner kick off the foot of senior midfielder Jordan McDermott (East Bridgewater, Mass.).  Newbury goalie Rachel Wyszynski (Wilbraham, Mass.) actually made the save on the header but her momentum carried her across the goal line.

Bridgewater put the game well out of reach with a pair of goals just three minutes apart.  In the 79th minute, Johnson lofted a shot from 20-yards out and tucked it just inside the far right post.  Thomson then capped the scoring off a restart from just inside the 18 as she drilled a shot which deflected off the goalie and into the back of the net.

Sophomore Kerry Condon (Whitman, Mass.) picked up the win between the pipes for the Bears.  Condon entered the game to start the second half and turned aside three shots.  Junior Kristen Rowe (Burlington, Mass.) got the start and made one save in 45 minutes of work.

Wyszynski stopped four shots in the losing effort.

Bridgewater held a 13-8 shot advantage for the game as well as an 8-1 edge in corner kicks.

Bridgewater will compete in the Wellesley College Classic next weekend.  The Bears take on Babson College on Saturday and Wellesley on Sunday with both games starting at 3:30.  Newbury is off until September 12th when they travel to Pine Manor College for a four o'clock game.