Women's Soccer Advances to MASCAC Semifinals with 3-1 Win over MCLA

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Third-seeded Bridgewater State University garnered a 3-1 victory over #6 MCLA in the opening round of the 2015 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Soccer Tournament on Tuesday night at Swenson Field.

With the win, the Bears (10-7-1) advance to the tournament semifinals and will travel to Westfield State University on Friday evening to take on the second-seeded Owls . Game time has yet to be announced. The visiting Trailblazers end the season with an overall record of 3-13-1.

The Bears got on the board just 1:11 into the contest as junior midfielder Amanda Leite (New Bedford, Mass.) converted off a cross into the six from freshman midfielder Kellsie Mitchell (Bristol, R.I.). Leite delivered a shot inside the far post for her second goal of the season.

Freshman midfielder Melissa Morton (Uxbridge, Mass.) potted her second marker of the campaign in the 35th minute to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. Morton corralled a long volley from senior defender Olivia Planty (Litchfield, N.H.) just inside the 18 and ripped a shot past the diving keeper and inside the back post.

Senior forward Marissa Yowell (Ashland, Mass.) extended the BSU advantage to 3-0 in the opening stages of the second half with her team-leading sixth goal of the season. Yowell headed home a well-placed cross from Leite just 1:48 into the final stanza.

MCLA junior midfielder Kayla Lingle (South Glens Falls, N.Y.) broke-up the shutout bid with an unassisted tally at the 66-minute mark. Lingle blasted a low shot inside the left post from just outside the 18.

Bridgewater held an 18-4 shot advantage for the game as well as a 5-1 edge in corner kicks.

Sophomore goaltender Lauren DeSousa (Taunton, Mass.) made one save to record her tenth win of the season between the pipes for the Bears. The ten wins marks the highest single-season total for a BSU keeper since Ashley Spingler also won ten games back in 2008. Junior Kathryn Daly (South Cairo, N.Y.) turned aside four shots in goal for the Trailblazers.