By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's soccer team ended its non-conference schedule with a loss to a nationally ranked team.

The Bears were stopped by Tufts University, ranked No. 4 in this week's United Soccer Coaches Division III poll, 3-0, at Mazzaferro Field on Wednesday night.

The Jumbos scored twice in the first half and added a second-half goal to improve to 11-1-2. Tufts had fallen from No. 3 in the country after losing to Amherst and tying Middlebury last week.

BSU is now 4-7-3 after losing in the fourth straight year to Tufts.

It marked the second loss to a nationally ranked team this season for the Bears, who fell to MIT, 6-1, on Sept. 17.

BSU was shutout for the fifth time this season and finished the non-conference schedule with a 0-6-2 record.

Tufts held a 33-3 advantage in overall shots and 15-2 in shots on goal.

The Jumbos took a 1-0 lead 16:17 into the game on a goal by freshman Claire Brady (Chicago, Ill.), assisted by senior Aoife O'Reilly (Larchmont, N.Y.).

A cross by O'Reilly went to Brady, who slipped a shot into the left side from 12 yards out for her second goal.

The lead went to 2-0 at 34:08 when sophomore Maren Jones (Tiburon, Calif.) scored her third goal from junior Waverly Sumner (Dover, Mass.).

Jones tapped a one-timer inside the right post off a short cross from Sumner.

Senior Elsi Aires (Westborough, Mass.) finished the scoring at 48:16 from junior Reese Birch (MIssion HIlls, Kan.).

Aires scored off a rebound from a Birch shot for her seventh goal of the season.

BSU senior goalkeeper Logan Levesque (Bristol, R.I.) had 12 saves on a very busy evening between the pipes.

Tufts junior Gigi Edwards (Merlo Park, Calif.) stopped two shots to improve to 8-1-2.

The lone BSU shots on goal were by senior Abigail Shea (Somerset, Mass.) and junior Nina DiRusso (Braintree, Mass.).

The Bears play their final regular-season home game Saturday at 4:30 p.m. against Fitchburg State.

Tufts will be home next Tuesday to face Bowdoin at 6 p.m.