Men's Soccer Advances to MASCAC Title Game

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Bridgewater State University advanced to the championship game of the 2022 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Men's Soccer Tournament as the fourth-seeded Bears stunned top-seeded Framingham State University on penalty kicks (5-4) in the tournament semifinal round on Friday night at Maple Street Field. The two teams played to a 1-1 draw through regulation and two overtime periods.

The Bears (7-8-3) advance to the MASCAC Tournament championship game for the ninth time in program history and first since 2018. Bridgewater will travel to third-seeded Worcester State University on Sunday afternoon to take on the Lancers at noon. The Rams end the season with an overall record of 11-5-3.

Graduate midfielder Bryce Nardizzi (Framingham, Mass.) converted on a penalty kick in the 12th minute to give the hosts the early 1-0 lead. The Rams were awarded the PK after the referee called a handball inside the 18. For Nardizzi, the goal marked his MASCAC-leading 15th of the season.

The Bears knotted the score at 1-1 in the 19th minute as sophomore midfielder Ethan Lafontant (Chelmsford, Mass.) potted his first goal of the season. Freshman midfielder Gavin Norton (Rockland, Mass.) set up the strike with a long volley inside the six. Sophomore midfielder Carsten Boloz (Southborough, Mass.) deflected the ball back to the middle to an unguarded Lafontant who buried a shot into the wide open net.

The Bears outshot the Rams 10-7 over the first 45 minutes.

The two teams played through a scoreless second half with the Rams holding a 15-7 shot advantage in the session. BSU senior goalkeeper William Russell (Sandwich, Mass.) made eight clutch saves in the second stanza to help send the game into overtime with the score knotted at 1-1.

There were no shots on frame in the first overtime period, and each keeper turned aside one shot in a scoreless second session as the game headed to penalty kicks.

In the penalty kick session, both teams converted on their first four attempts with senior forward Robson Montrond (Brockton, Mass.), sophomore midfielder Nicolas Matias (Milford, Mass.), Boloz and Norton each finding the back of the net for Bridgewater State. After Russell came up with a clutch stop on Framingham's fifth attempt, BSU junior midfielder Ethan DeMelo (Acushnet, Mass.) sent the Bears to the championship game.

Framingham held a 25-17 shot advantage for the game as well as an 8-2 edge in corner kick attempts. The Rams had the only corner kick attempt in overtime.

Russell finished with 11 saves on the evening, while senior netminder Jake Hartshorn (Chelmsford, Mass.) turned aside ten shots between the pipes for the Rams.

Notes: Bridgewater holds a 30-14-5 advantage in the all-time series which began in 1980…The two teams were meeting for the seventh time in MASCAC Tournament play and sixth time in the last ten years…All seven games have been played at Framingham…Last season, the Rams edged the Bears in double overtime, 2-1, also in the tournament semifinals...Bridgewater and Worcester have met four times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2013) in the MASCAC Championship Game.