Bears take down Seahawks

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team remained undefeated on the season as the Bears won their tenth straight game with an 18-9 non-conference win over visiting Salve Regina University on Monday evening at Swenson Field. 

Freshman midfielder Lauren Geary (Hull, Mass.) paced the hosts with a terrific all-around game as she tallied four goals and an assist to go along with 15 draw controls, ten ground balls and six caused turnovers.  Geary increased her BSU single-season record total to 102 draws as she continues to rank in the top five in all of Division III in the category. 

Salve Regina led 3-2 less than six minutes into the contest on goals by junior midfielder Grace Kelly (Auburn, N.Y.), sophomore defender Sarah Woods (East Lyme, Conn.) and sophomore midfielder Gina Tortorici (Deer Park, N.Y.).  The Bears, however, responded with a 10-0 run over the next 15 minutes to put the game out of reach.  Senior attack Jill Caramello (Duxbury, Mass.) and freshman attack Alexis Hadcock (East Lyme, Conn.) scored three goals apiece during the scoring outburst. 

After Kelly cut the Seahawks' deficit to 12-4 with her second goal of the night, Bridgewater closed out the half with four unanswered strikes, with two coming from Geary and two by junior midfielder Taylor Clancy (Braintree, Mass.), as the Bears took a 16-4 advantage into the intermission and never looked back. 

Hadcock finished with four goals for the hosts, while Caramello notched three markers. Clancy checked in with three goals and an assist for four points as well as five ground balls and four caused turnovers.  Senior midfielder Shelby Farland (Fiskdale, Mass.) added a pair of markers, while sophomore attack Riley Cachelin (Westwood, Mass.) and junior attack Melanie Appleman (Hyannis, Mass.) chipped in with a goal and an assist apiece. 

BSU freshman netminder Chandler Ross (Wrentham, Mass.) turned aside nine shots to post her sixth straight win. 

The Bears outshot the Seahawks by a margin of 41-21, including a dominating 32-10 advantage in the first half.  Bridgewater also held a 20-9 edge in draw controls as well as a 34-24 advantage in ground balls.

Woods paced Salve Regina with three goals while Kelly and Tortorici finished with two goals apiece.  Josephine O'Reilly (Middletown, R.I.) made 12 saves between the pipes for the Seahawks. 

Both teams are back in action on Wednesday.  The Bears travel to non-conference foe Mount Holyoke College (6:00 PM), while the Seahawks host Commonwealth Coast Conference rival Nichols College (4:30 PM).