Field Hockey Downs Framingham 2-0 to Give Coach Smith Milestone Win

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. –  Senior forward Carissa Vizakis (Barnstable, Mass.) tallied a pair of goals as to lead the Bridgewater State University field hockey team to a 2-0 shutout of Little East Conference foe Framingham State University on Wednesday evening at Swenson Field.

The win marked the 93rd in the career of Head Coach Erika Smith who became the program's all-time winningest coach. Smith, who is 93-57 (.620) in eight seasons as the Bears' skipper, surpassed fellow BSU Hall of Famer Mary Lou Thimas' (1979-1986) previous school mark of 92 coaching victories (92-35-26, .686). 

The Bears improve to 10-2 on the season and 5-1 in the Little East with their seventh straight win.  The visiting Rams slip to 7-5 overall and 1-5 in conference play.

Vizakis continued her torrid goal scoring pace as she found the back of the net for the seventh straight game.  Vizakis has scored 11 goals during that span and sits atop the Little East leaderboard with 14 markers.

Senior goaltender Kacie Sturgeon (Darmouth, Mass.) recorded her conference leading seventh shutout of the season as she lowered her goals against average to a Little East best 0.74. Sturgeon has allowed just one goal over the last six games.

Vizakis opened the scoring in the 25th minute as she one-timed a cross from senior forward Demi Miskiv (Centerville, Mass.).  Bridgewater held a 12-2 shot advantage over the first 35 minutes and attempted all nine penalty corners as the Bears held a 1-0 lead at the intermission.

Bridgewater maintained the one-goal advantage until the 56^th minute when Vizakis knocked home a long feed from junior midfielder Jaclyn Holahan (South Yarmouth, Mass.). Holahan slipped a pass from outside the circle in front of the goal mouth and Vizakis banged a shot inside the left post to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.

The Bears would finish with a 19-5 shot advantage for the game as well as 12-1 edge in penalty corners.

Freshman goaltender Sarah Palace (Auburn, Mass.) turned aside ten shots for the Rams who also received a defensive save from senior defender Brittany Goben (New Bedford, Mass.).

In upcoming Little East Conference action, Bridgewater travels to Western Connecticut State University on Sunday afternoon for a two o'clock game with Colonials.  Framingham entertains Westfield State University on Saturday night at seven.

Notes:  With her two goals, Vizakis moved past Kathy McGough (1986-89) into fourth place on the Bears' all-time scoring list and fifth place among the Bears' all-time goal scorers.  She has 28 goals and 72 points in three seasons (2009, 2012-13) at Bridgewater State.