Women's Soccer Blanks MCLA on Senior Day, 6-0

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University women's soccer team wrapped up regular season play with a convincing 6-0 shutout victory over MCLA in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup on Saturday evening at rainy Swenson Field.

The Bears improve to 8-7-1 on the season and 5-1-1 in the MASCAC, while the Trailblazers end the season with an overall record of 0-13-1 (0-6-1 MASCAC). Bridgewater State is seeded third in next week's MASCAC Tournament and will host #6 Fitchburg State University in the quarterfinal round on Tuesday night at seven.

Junior midfielder Michelle Belcher (Norton, Mass.) opened the scoring in the 21st minute. Senior forward Caitlyn Laliberte (Somerset, Mass.) set up the goal as she intercepted a short goal kick and slipped a centering pass to Belcher in the middle. Belcher turned and delivered a left-footed strike under the crossbar from 25 yards out.

Freshman forward Clara Woodard (Sandwich, Mass.) potted her first collegiate goal with just 69 seconds remaining in the opening stanza to extend the lead to 2-0. Woodard intercepted a failed clearance attempt by an MCLA defender directly in front of the net and calmly deposited a shot inside the right post.

Senior forward Madelyn Morin (East Longmeadow, Mass.) notched her fifth goal of the season in the 55th minute as she made a long run down the right side off a short pass from classmate Delaney Langton (Scituate, R.I.) following a midfield throw-in. Morin beat multiple defender and fired a shot inside the far post from 15 yards out to make it a 3-0 game.

Just 59 seconds later, Belcher connected for her team leading tenth goal of the season. Langton made a nice steal outside the 18 and slipped a pass to a streaking Belcher on the right side who beat the keeper one-on-one with a shot inside the far post.

Junior forward Erin Clancey (Middletown, R.I.) scored off the rebound of her own close-range shot in the 72nd minute to make it a 5-0 game. For Clancey, the goal marked her second of the season.

Sophomore forward Stephanie Spear (Blackstone, Mass.) capped off the scoring with her second marker of the 2021 campaign in the 88th minute. Spear corralled a loose ball off a scramble inside the 18 and ripped a left-footed shot inside the left post.

The Bears finished with a decided 31-2 shot advantage for the game as well as an 8-2 edge in corner kick attempts.

BSU senior netminder Tory Viola-Laughery (Brockton, Mass.) did not face a shot on frame as she recorded her eighth win and seventh shutout of the season.

Junior goalkeepers Madison Breese (Bennington, Vt.) and Jillian Currier (Troy, N.Y.) combined for 11 saves as the duo split the game between the pipes for the Trailblazers.

Bridgewater State held Senior Day festivities prior to the start of the game. Laliberte, Langton, Morin, Viola-Laughery and fellow seniors Cassie Brown (Augusta, Maine), Hannah Johnson (Whitman, Mass.), Amber Jorge (Berkley, Mass.) and Samantha Tomaszewski (Sterling, Mass.) were honored.