Souza Headlines Bears' All-MASCAC Field Hockey Quartet
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Samantha Souza (Dartmouth, Mass.) has received a top Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference honor following a record-setting field hockey season at Bridgewater State University.
By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Samantha Souza (Dartmouth, Mass.) has received a top Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference honor following a record-setting field hockey season at Bridgewater State University.
The sophomore forward has been selected the MASCAC Offensive Player of the Year and earned a spot on the all-conference first team.
Souza broke the Bears' single-season record by scoring 33 goals in 20 games this fall. It marks the second straight first-team All-MASCAC honor for Souza, who had 73 points this season.
Two other BSU players were chosen on the first team, including junior midfielder Abbie Zuber (Westport, Mass.), who broke the career record for assists, and senior defender Emelia Westwater (Attleboro, Mass.).
Both Zuber and Westwater were on the All-MASCAC second team in 2024.
BSU sophomore forward Kallie Rose (Dartmouth, Mass.) earned a spot on the all-conference second team.
The Bears went 15-5, the most wins for the program since 2013, and finished second in the MASCAC with a 10-2 mark. BSU lost in the semifinal round of the tournament, 2-1, in double overtime to Worcester State.
Souza was the co-Rookie of the Year in the MASCAC as a freshman after getting 12 goals and 26 points.
She followed that up with a sensational second season with the Bears.
Souza's 33 goals led the MASCAC and are second among NCAA Division III scorers behind only the 37 scored by Keene State's Grace Bazin.
Souza broke the BSU record of 32 held since 2012 by BSU Hall of Famer Shelby Farland.
With 45 goals in two years, Souza ranks fifth on the Bears' all-time list. She is also fifth in career points with 99.
Souza's 73 points, which led the MASCAC, were just shy of the school record for points in a season, held by Farland. Souza ranks second in the nation to the 82 compiled by Bazin.
Souza scored four goals against Maine-Farmington, Salem State and Anna Maria and had three-goal games against UMass Dartmouth and Framingham State.
Zuber led the MASCAC with 13 assists and ranks second in the conference to Souza in goals (20) and points (53).
The 26 career assists broke the record of 25 set by BSU Hall of Famer Bethany Bush from 2007-10.
Zuber is 10th on the school's all-time list with 28 career goals and is tied for second with 13 assists in a season.
Her 51 points are tied for the fifth most by a BSU player and she ranks eighth with 82 career points.
Zuber made the all-conference second team in 2024 after getting nine goals and 11 assists as a sophomore.
Westwater started all 20 games and had two goals and one assist.
She was one of the main reasons why the BSU defense allowed just 37 goals.
Westwater was a four-year starter whose two career goals came against Maine-Farmington and Worcester State this season.
Rose started all 20 games and had 13 goals and nine assists for 35 points.
She ranked third on the team in goals and points behind former Dartmouth High teammates Souza and Zuber and was tied for second with nine assists.
The MASCAC Defensive Player of the Year is Westfield State senior goalkeeper Emma Gniadek while Rookie of the Year honors went to Westfield State freshman forward Caroline Andrade.
The BSN Sports Coach of the Year went to Westfield State's Carden Brown.