Women's Soccer Blanks Fitchburg State, 3-0

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Junior forward Erica Jonasson (Wrentham , Mass.) scored a pair of goals to lead the Bridgewater State University women's soccer team to a 3-0 shutout victory over visiting Fitchburg State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup on Saturday afternoon at Swenson Field.

Sophomore goaltender Marissa Yowell (Ashland, Mass.) made three saves to record her first career shutout between the pipes for the Bears who improve to 5-4-2 on the season and 2-0-2 in the MASCAC.  The visiting Falcons slip to 5-8 overall and 1-3 in conference play.

Jonasson staked the Bears to a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute as she knocked in a perfectly placed cross from sophomore forward Mackenzie Hatfield (Whitman, Mass.).  Hatfield slipped a pass into the front of the net from the right side and Jonasson promptly buried a shot inside the left post.

In the 38th minute, Jonasson notched her team-leading tenth goal of the season as she picked up a loose ball off a cross from the right side, dribbled to her left  and ripped a shot inside the right post.

Freshman midfielder Alexa Sterna (Worcester, Mass.) had a golden opportunity to get the Falcons on the board in the first half on a semi-breakaway in the 32nd minute.  Yowell, however, made a leaping stop to deflect the shot off the cross bar.

BSU senior midfielder Katie Nasuti (Millbury, Mass.) made it a 3-0 game in the 64th minute as she potted her second goal of the season. Hatfield started the play with a long feed to senior midfielder Megan O'Leary (Whitman, Mass.) on the right side. O'Leary dribbled back towards the middle and slipped a pass to Nasuti who beat the Fitchburg netminder with a shot to the left side of the net.

The Bears held a 15-5 shot advantage for the game as well as an 8-1 edge in corner kicks.

Senior Jillian Kirouac (Leominster, Mass.) made seven saves in goal for the Falcons.

Bridgewater is off until next Saturday when the Bears travel to Mass. Maritime Academy for a noontime MASCAC match with the Buccaneers.  Fitchburg heads to non-conference foe Rhode Island College on Wednesday evening to take on the Anchorwomen at six.