Women's Soccer Falls to #13 MIT, 6-1

By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The nationally ranked MIT women's soccer team scored three goals in each half en route to a 6-1 win over Bridgewater State University.

Sophomore Maeve Sullivan (San Antonio, Texas) came off the bench to register a hat trick for the Engineers, matching her total for the season.

The Bears (2-4) have lost all four of their games against non-conference opponents this season.

The Engineers improved to 6-1 and are 13-9-2 against BSU in a series that began in 1986.

The Bears were outshot, 48-7, with MIT getting 22 shots on goal while BSU managed just five. The Engineers had a 12-2 edge in corner kicks.

MIT is ranked No. 13 in the national Division III poll, falling out of the top 10 after losing to Brandeis University.

The Bears and Engineers were even at 1-1 until MIT scored twice in less than six minutes later in the first half.

The Engineers held BSU scoreless for the final 84-plus minutes as a pair of goalkeepers made four saves.

Senior Sean Luk (Bel Air, Md.) gave MIT a 1-0 lead just 2:27 into the game.

Luk took on a defender near the goal line and tucked the ball inside the far post.

BSU came back at 5:09 with senior Olivia Robarge (Pepperell, Mass.) scoring from senior Lauren Sellmayer (Easton, Mass.) and freshman Brenda Murphy (Brockton, Mass.).

A long volley from Sellmayer from the Bears' defensive zone was headed by Murphy over the MIT defense.

Robarge ran onto the ball and chipped it over the keeper for her team-best fifth goal of the season and 27th of her career.

But MIT got a pair of goals from Sullivan to take a 3-1 halftime lead.

Sullivan broke the tie at 30:28, assisted by graduate student Natalie Barnouw (Los Angeles, Calif.).

Sullivan scored on a one-timer directly off a corner kick.

At 36:02, Sullivan was assisted by sophomore Zoe Barton (Los Altos, Calif.). A long volley went over the BSU defense and Sullivan outraced a defender, then beat the keeper inside the right post.

The score remained 3-1 until the 61:33 mark when Barnouw scored her sixth goal from junior Madeline Seebeck (San Antonio, Texas).

A cross into the six was one-timed into the left side of the cage by Barnouw.

At 78:23, sophomore Skye Williams (Tallahassee, Fla.) made it 5-1, assisted by freshman Lauren Won (Fullerton, Calif.).

A short goal line crossing pass went to an unguarded Williams in front at the near post, and after a save, Williams tapped in the rebound.

The final goal came at 85:16 by Sullivan to complete the hat trick.

Sullivan beat a defender, dribbled into the left side and ripped a shot inside the near post.

BSU senior goalkeeper Logan Levesque (Bristol, R.I.) made 16 saves.

MIT senior Ava Muffoletto (Kings Park, N.Y.) was the starting goalkeeper and made three first-half saves. Junior Cassidy Jennings (Sioux Falls, S.D.) had one save in the final 45 minutes.

BSU is home again on Saturday, facing the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts at 4:30 p.m.

MIT takes on Smith on noon Saturday.

Notes: Robarge now has 61 points (27G, 7A) in her career as she moved past Michelle Rhodes (2001-04) and former teammate Michelle Belcher (2021-22) into tenth place on the Bears' all-time scoring list.