Nelson Nets Hat Trick as Men's Soccer Blanks Westfield, 6-0

WESTFIELD, Mass. – Senior forward David Nelson (East Bridgewater, Mass.) recorded a hat trick to lead the visiting Bridgewater State University men's soccer team to a decisive 6-0 shutout victory over Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) rival Westfield State University on Saturday afternoon.

The Bears improve to 9-2-4 on the season and 5-0-1 in the MASCAC while the Owls check fall to 6-7-1 overall and 4-2 in conference play. Bridgewater State is 27-15-4 versus the Owls since 1980. The Bears have won each of the last four meetings by a combined score of 21-2.

With his three goals, Nelson increased his career scoring to 27 goals and 14 assists for 68 points. Nelson is now fifth all-time in program history in goals. He also tied Marco Ferreira (1996, 1998-00) for fifth place among the Bears' all-time scoring leaders.

Nelson opened the scoring in the 13th minute. Freshman midfielder Nicholas Ribeiro (Bellingham, Mass.) delivered a shot from the right side of the 18 that was deflected by a Westfield defender. The ball caromed right to Nelson at the top of the six who deposited a shot into the center of the cage.

Senior defender Jacob Ramos (New Bedford, Mass.) made it a 2-0 game in the 19th minute with his first goal of the season. Off a corner kick, the ball came out to senior midfielder Ethan DeMelo (Acushnet, Mass.) just outside the top of the 18. DeMelo sent a shot towards the net which went directly to Ramos who turned and fired a shot into the left side of the cage. Ribeiro also assisted on the strike.

Bridgewater would take the two-goal lead into the break.

The Bears scored four goals in span of less than seven minutes to put the game away in the second half.

Nelson beat a defender one-on-one and ripped a shot inside the right post to extend the BSU advantage to 3-0 in the 73rd minute.

Less than two minutes later, Nelson completed the hat trick as he chipped the ball over the charging keeper after being sent in off a nice pass from junior forward Dominik Borden (New Bedford, Mass.).

Senior forward Will Halben (Attleboro, Mass.) converted on a breakaway off another well-executed pass from Borden to make it a 5-0 game in the 77th minute. For Halben, the goal marked his third of the season.

Borden capped off the scoring in the 80th minute with his second goal of the season. After forcing a turnover deep in Westfield territory, Borden turned and curled a left-footed shot from well outside the 18 into the right side of the net.

Borden finished with a goal and two assists on the afternoon.

Bridgewater held a 20-15 shot advantage for the game while Westfield held a 6-3 edge in corner kick attempts.

BSU graduate goalkeeper William Russell (Sandwich, Mass.) made six saves to record the 22nd win of his career and 11th shutout. Russell is seventh among the Bears' all-time goaltending leaders in wins and sixth in shutouts.

Freshman netminder Luke Theroux (Chicopee, Mass.) turned aside seven shots in just under 80 minutes (79:50) of action between the pipes for Westfield State.

The Bears head to Rhode Island College on Tuesday afternoon to take on the Anchormen at four o'clock. The Owls wrap up regular season play next Saturday afternoon when they travel to Salem State University for a one o'clock MASCAC game with the Vikings.