Men's Soccer Posts 4-1 MASCAC Win Over Fitchburg State

By Jim Fenton

FITCHBURG, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University men's soccer team has reached the 10-win mark for the third straight season.

The Bears improved to 10-5-1 on Saturday with a 4-1 victory over Fitchburg State University at Elliott Field, extending their winning streak to three.

BSU had not won at least 10 games in three consecutive seasons since 2013-15.

The Bears concluded its regular-season road schedule, finishing with a 6-3-1 record away from Mazzaferro Field this season.

BSU is tied for first place in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference at 5-1-1 with the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Both teams have one conference game remaining, and the Buccaneers hold the tiebreaker thanks to a win over the Beas on Sept. 12.

BSU hosts Framingham State University at noon next Saturday while Mass. Maritime will be at Fitchburg State at noon that day.

In the win over the Falcons (4-6-3, 1-4-2 conference, senior Melvin Alves (Brockton, Mass.) had a goal and two assists.

The Bears took a 2-0 lead less than 25 minutes into the opening half and scored twice in the second half.

Freshman Cameron Walty (Weymouth, Mass.) put the Bears up on top in the 12th minute with his third goal of the season. Senior Gavin Norton (Rockland, Mass.) started the scoring opportunity with a cross from the left side. The ball went to Alves whose misfired shot went directly to Walty who who slipped a shot into the left side of the net.

Senior Filippo Mucci (Vineyard Haven, Mass.) gave the Bears a two-goal advantage in the 24th minute with his fifth goal of the season. Mucci delivered a corner kick into the back of the net. The Fitchburg netminder attempted to make the save but was the ball deflected in off his outstretched hand.

Fitchburg State cut the deficit in half at 34:49 when sophomore Justin Job (Worcester, Mass.) registered his second goal of the season. Senior Liam Evans (Marshfield, Mass.) picked up
the assist.

Alves boosted the lead back to two goals by scoring his second goal of the season in the 57th minute, assisted by senior Ryan Healy (Cork, Ireland) and Walty. Walty slid a short pass to Healy in the middle who found an unguarded Alves making a run on the right side. Alves, who had a team-best three shots on goal, beat the keeper with a shot inside the left post.

The scoring ended at 84:31 when junior Connor Wesloski (Wilbraham, Mass.) registered his second goal, assisted by Alves. Alves sent a long cross from the right side to Wesloski on the left side of the 18 who delivered a shot inside the far post.

Junior Kyle Sullivan (Enfield, Conn.) made four saves for the Bears to record his tenth win of the season.

Fitchburg State freshman goalkeeper Tristan White (Tewksbury, Mass.) had three saves.

The Bears were outshot, 15-14 by the Falcons, who have a non-conference game on Tuesday at Endicott College at 7 p.m.