By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's soccer team played to its first tie of the season Saturday afternoon.

A second-half goal by senior Olivia Robarge (Pepperell, Mass.) enabled the Bears to tie Westfield State University, 1-1, at Mazzaferro Field.

BSU (3-5-1) is now 3-0-1 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference while the Owls (2-4-3) are 2-0-1 in the conference.

They both trail first-place Worcester State University, which is 4-0.

BSU had fallen behind just over 20 minutes in and trailed for the next 50-plus minutes.

Robarge then recorded her team-best seventh goal to pull the Bears even at 72:06.

Junior Caroline McCormack (East Bridgewater, Mass.) sent a long thru ball from near midfield to Robarge.

She was one-on-one with the Westfield State goalkeeper, and Robarge scored with a shot into the right side of the cage. Senior Jenna Sweeney (Wilmington, Mass.) also assisted on the play.

Not long after that goal, BSU senior Logan Levesque (Bristol, R.I.) made a diving stop on a close-range shot by freshman Julianna Lanzillo (Chelmsford, Mass.) to keep the game tied.

The Owls were ahead, 1-0, at 20:15 on a goal by freshman Liv DeMember (West Boylston, Mass.), assisted by senior Olivia Crooks (Wilbraham, Mass.).

The ball was punched out to Crooks, who sent a crossing pass to DeMember, and she put the ball into the unguarded left side of the net.

Levesque had one save for the Bears as did Owls' senior keeper Julia Robak (Chicopee, Mass.).

Robarge and Sweeney had the only two shots on goal for BSU.

The Bears are home Wednesday for a non-conference game with Gordon at 7 p.m.

Westfield State hosts Western New England at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.

Notes: Robarge now has 29 goals and 66 points in her career. She moved past Kara Kennedy (1987-89) into eight place on the Bears' all-time scoring list. Robarge is also seventh on the Bears' all-time goal scoring list.