Women's Soccer Advances to MASCAC Semifinals with 4-1 Win over Framingham State

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Seniors Courtney Pepin (Uxbridge, Mass.) and Nicole Simas (Dartmouth, Mass.) tallied two goals apiece to lead the third-seeded Bridgewater State University Bears to a 4-1 victory over #6 Framingham State University in the opening round of the 2017 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Soccer Tournament on Tuesday night at Swenson Field.

Junior defender Kassidy Campbell (Norton, Mass.) also notched a career-high three assists for the Bears (12-6) who advance to the tournament semifinal round on Friday afternoon at #2 Westfield State University. Game time is slated for 4:00 PM. The Rams end the season with an overall record of 6-11-1.

Bridgewater State tallied a pair of goal just 48 seconds apart early in the first half to take a 2-0 lead as Campbell assisted on both markers.

On the first goal, Campbell sent a corner kick into the six and Simas drove the ball into the back of the net to open the scoring. Moments later, Campbell accepted a short pass from junior midfielder Tess Nagle (Pembroke, Mass.) and delivered a long volley behind the Framingham defense. Pepin corralled the ball and beat the keeper one-on-one with a shot inside the right post from the top of the six.

The Rams cut the deficit in half in the 16th minute on a well-placed shot by sophomore forward Erin Angelillo (Southington, Conn.) from outside the 18. Angelillo drilled a shot from the left side over the outstretched hand of the BSU keeper and inside the far post.

The Bears would take the 2-1 advantage into the intermission as they outshot the Rams, 11-6, in the opening stanza.

Simas made it a 3-1 game in the 52nd minute with her team leading tenth goal of the season. Junior defender Molly Shield (Mansfield, Mass.) picked up the assist as she split the defense with a long arcing pass. Simas collected the ball outside the 18, dribbled in and slipped a shot past the oncoming goalkeeper and into the center of the net.

Pepin put the finishing touches on the 4-1 victory as she headed home a crossing pass from Campbell in the 80th minute. Pepin tied Simas for the team lead in goals with her tenth.

The Bears finished with a 26-10 shot advantage as well as a 6-0 edge in corner kicks.

Senior netminder Lauren DeSousa (Taunton, Mass.) made five saves to record her 12th win of the season and 29th in a BSU uniform. Junior goalkeeper Jennifer Stevens (Hopkinton, Mass.) turned aside seven shots in the setback for the Rams.

Campbell, who entered the 2017 campaign with one career assist, has five over the last two games and six on the season.

With her four points on the night, Pepin moved into ninth place on the Bears' all-time scoring list as she now has 51 points (19G, 13A) in four seasons at Bridgewater State.

The Bears' 12 wins are the most since 2002 when that year's squad recorded a program record 14 victories (14-6).