By Jim Fenton
NORTON, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University field hockey team finished its non-conference schedule with a loss on the road.
The Bears were defeated by Wheaton College, 4-1, at Nordin Field on Thursday night for their second loss in the last three games.
The highlight of the night for BSU was sophomore Samantha Souza (Dartmouth, Mass.) tying the program's single-single record for goals with her 32nd.
BSU is now 14-4 while Wheaton improves to 8-9, breaking a four-game losing streak with the victory in its home finale.
Souza scored in the second period and now co-owns the Bears record for most goals, even with Shelby Farland. She set the record in the 2012 season.
Souza has 71 points this season, six away from the record set by Farland in '12, and she has compiled 97 career points in just under two seasons.
The Bears were outshot, 20-5, and the Lyons held a 16-3 edge in shots on goal.
Wheaton jumped to a 2-0 lead by scoring twice in 1:56 and never trailed the Bears.
At 10:49, junior Hannah Fortin (Dartmouth, Mass.) netted a goal.
After a shot by freshman Gia Marotta (Lynnfield, Mass.), Fortin converted the rebound.
Sophomore Kayla Wilonski (Wallingford, Conn.) scored her 10th goal at 12:43.
Sophomore Kelsey Thompson (North Attleboro, Mass.) sent a pass to Wilonski, who stickhandled in between a pair of defenders and scored inside the right post.
Souza put the Bears on the scoreboard at 21:34 with freshman Ellie Moberg (North Reading, Mass.) assisting.
Moberg fed a crossing pass that eluded the Wheaton goalkeeper and a defender and made its way to the stick of Souza near the far post.
After a scoreless third period, Wheaton went up, 3-1, at 47:55 when Fortin scored her seventh goal of the season.
A wrist shot by junior Ally Slicer (Waterford, Maine) was stopped by senior goalkeeper Brianna Gagnon (Tewksbury, Mass.), but Fortin was there for the rebound, putting it inside the right post.
Marotta ended the scoring at 50:37 with her third goal, assisted by Thompson. Marotta deflected a shot by Thompson in for the goal.
Senior goalkeeper Catherine Daoulas (Marshfield, Mass.) made her first start of the season for BSU, making five saves in the first period. Gagnon played the final three periods and had seven stops.
Wheaton freshman Molly Braica (New Boston, N.H.) had one save in the win.
The regular-season ends for BSU on Saturday when it plays at Worcester State at 5 p.m. The Bears will then have a bye in the MASCAC tournament.
Wheaton plays its final regular-season game at Babson on Saturday at noon.