Women's Soccer Posts 4-0 Shutout Over RIC

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Senior forward Marissa Yowell (Ashland, Mass.) notched a pair of goals to lead the Bridgewater State University women's soccer team to a 4-0 shutout victory over visiting Rhode Island College on Wednesday night at Swenson Field.

The host Bears improve to 2-3 on the year with their second straight win. The Anchorwomen slip to 1-4 on the young season.

Freshman midfielder Caitlin Rowley (Lakeville, Mass.) got the Bears on the board in the 28th minute as she scored on a breakaway off a nice through ball from senior defender Allison LeBel (Millis, Mass.). Rowley beat the RIC netminder with a shot that clanked of the inside of the left post and trickled over the line. The goal marked the second of the season for the BSU rookie.

Freshman midfielder Kellsie Mitchell (Bristol, R.I.) extended the lead to 2-0 in the 33rd minute with her first career scoring strike. Mitchell hopped on a loose ball following a rebound of a Yowell attempt and fired a shot inside the left post.

Yowell tallied her first goal of the season just 4:45 into the second half as she converted a cross from junior midfielder Allyson Pontes (Dartmouth, Mass.). Yowell would cap off the scoring in the 59th minute as she deposited the ball into a wide open net following the rebound of a Courtney Pepin (Uxbridge, Mass.) shot.

BSU sophomore goaltender Lauren DeSousa (Taunton, Mass.) was solid once again between the pipes as she recorded her second straight shutout. DeSousa made six saves on the evening including a leaping stop on a long drive off the foot of sophomore midfielder Stephanie Ricci (Smithfield, R.I.) midway through the first half.

Bridgewater held the advantage in play for most of the game, outshooting the Anchorwomen by a healthy margin of 24-8. Corner kicks were even at four apiece. Yowell and Pepin combined for 14 of the Bears' 24 shots.

RIC freshman netminder Katherine Haley (Hope, R.I.) turned aside 12 shots on the evening despite playing most of the second half with an injured hand.

Both teams open conference play on Saturday afternoon at four. The Bears entertain MASCAC foe MCLA, while the Anchorwomen travel to UMass Boston for a Little East Conference match.