Women's Soccer Falls to Fitchburg State in MASCAC Semifinals, 2-1

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Third-seeded Fitchburg State University stunned #2 seed Bridgewater State University, 2-1, in the semifinal round of the 2022 Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Women's Soccer Tournament on Friday night at Swenson Field.

The Falcons (10-6-3) advance to the MASCAC Tournament championship game for the first time in program history and will travel to top-seeded Westfield State University on Sunday afternoon to take on the Owls. The Bears end the season with an overall record of 10-6-2.

Senior goalkeeper Allison Gough (Wolcott, Conn.) made nine saves between the pipes for the Falcons who were soundly outshot, 24-5. Fitchburg also received a pair of team saves.

Senior midfielder Patricia Pallotta (Sterling, Mass.) got Fitchburg on the board in the 16th minute with her fifth goal of the season. Pallotta delivered a shot from 28 yards out that was deflected by the leaping hands of the BSU netminder. The ball game straight down off the crossbar and caromed off the back of the keeper and into the net. Junior midfielder Maddie Hippert (Worcester, Mass.) and freshman forward Adrianna Westcott (Sayreville, N.J.) assisted on the goal.

Bridgewater State senior forward Michelle Belcher (Norton, Mass.) rang one off the crossbar from 30 yards out in the final minute of the first half. Freshman forward Abigail Shea (Somerset, Mass.) collected the rebound on the right side of the 18 and slid a shot wide of the left post.

Fitchburg would take a 1-0 lead into the intermission.

The Bears had two outstanding chances on a corner kick in the 53rd minute. Belcher rang the back post on the corner attempt, and a close-range shot by freshman forward Olivia Robarge (Pepperell, Mass.) off the rebound was turned back on an outstanding save by Gough. Minutes later, Gough made a leaping stop on a shot by senior forward Erin Clancey (Middletown, R.I.) from 30 yards out.

The Falcons were awarded a corner kick in the 59th minute after an outstanding diving stop by BSU freshman keeper Logan Levesque (Bristol, R.I.). Hippert capitalized on the corner as her long header found its way inside the right post to make it a 2-0 game. Junior midfielder Ashley Porter (Upton, Mass.) picked up the assist on Hippert's fifth goal of the season.

An outstanding individual effort by BSU graduate forward Madelyn Morin (East Longmeadow, Mass.) cut the deficit to 2-1 in the 77th minute. Morin outworked multiple defenders to corral a loose ball inside the six and beat the Fitchburg netminder with a shot to the center of the cage. For Morin, the goal marked her second of the season.

The Bears kept the pressure on in the waning minutes but could not pot the equalizer. Gough came up with a key stop on a corner kick by Belcher in the 85th minute, and freshman midfielder Regina Pallotta (Sterling, Mass.) headed one off the line in the 89th minute.

Levesque made one save in the setback for the Bears who also finished with an 8-2 edge in corner kick attempts.

Notes: The two teams were meeting for just the third time in MASCAC Tournament play with all three games played at Swenson Field…The Falcons defeated the Bears for just the fourth time in team history…Bridgewater holds a 24-4-3 advantage in the all-time series which began back in 1993.