BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Senior forward Michelle Belcher (Norton, Mass.) and junior midfielder Sydney Dewhurst (East Bridgewater, Mass.) tallied two goals and two assists apiece to lead the Bridgewater State University women's soccer team to a convincing 6-1 victory over visiting Salve Regina University on Tuesday night at Swenson Field.
The Bears improve to 3-1-1 on the season while the Seahawks fall to 1-4. Bridgewater State is 15-4-1 (7-3-0 at home) versus Salve since 2002 as the two teams have met in each of the last 20 seasons.
The Bears scored four times over a 14-minute stretch of the first half to take a commanding lead.
Off a restart in the 12th minute, Belcher collected the ball at the top of the 18, turned and fired a left-footed shot in the right side of the net. Dewhurst, who took the free kick, assisted on the goal.
Belcher made it a 2-0 game with her second goal of the afternoon in the 17th minute. Belcher beat a defender to a long throw-in from senior midfielder Delaney Langton (Scituate R.I.) and beat the keeper with a shot inside the near post.
Just 44 seconds later Dewhurst converted her first of back-to-back header goals both coming off Belcher corner kicks. Dewhurst's second tally came in the 26th minute.
The Bears would take the 4-0 lead into the break.
BSU freshman goalkeeper Logan Levesque (Bristol, R.I.) made a terrific diving stop on senior forward Meagan McLaughlin (East Hampton, Conn.) who got behind the defense in the 50th minute. Logan stoned McLaughlin again with a diving save in the 58th minute.
A header goal by junior midfielder Makenna Lessard (East Bridgewater, Mass.) from ten yards out off a nice crossing pass from freshman forward Abigail Shea (Somerset, Mass.) extended the BSU lead to 5-0 in the 61st minute. Freshman defender Jenna Sweeney (Wilmington, Mass.) also assisted on the goal.
Freshman forward Hannah Daniewicz (Preston, Conn.) broke up the shutout bid in the 69th minute as she tucked a shot into the right side of the cage from 25 yards. McLaughlin and Salve freshman goalkeeper Reagan Moffatt (Denville, N.J.) assisted on the strike.
The Bears converted again off a restart to close out the scoring in the 83rd minute. Junior defender Megan Keller (Northborough, Mass.) ripped a shot under the crossbar from 25 yards out off a short crossing pass from Dewhurst.
Dewhurst and Lessard each found the back of the net for the first time in a BSU uniform, while Keller also notched her first goal of the season.
The Bears finished with 28-10 shot advantage for the game as well as an 11-3 edge in corner kick attempts.
Levesque turned aside seven shots to post her third straight win. Moffatt and senior keeper Georgia Drake (Plymouth, Mass.) combined to make eight saves for the Seahawks. Salve also recorded on team save.
In upcoming action, the Bears open Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) play on Saturday afternoon when they travel to Salem State University for a one o'clock game with the Vikings. The Seahawks entertain Worcester State University on Thursday afternoon at four.