By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University field hockey team has climbed back to the .500 mark with a four-game winning streak.

The Bears defeated Nichols College, 3-1, on Senior Night in a non-conference game at Mazzaferro Field Friday night to improve to 7-7.

BSU has not lost since its four-game losing streak dropped the record to 3-7. The four-game winning streak is the longest by the Bears since Sept. 22-29, 2018.

Prior to the game, the team's three seniors -- Abby Massarelli (Stoughton, Mass.), Noelle Cornetta (Hanson, Mass.) and Charlotte McElroy (Carver, Mass.) -- were honored.

BSU junior goalkeeper Brianna Gagnon (Tewksbury, Mass.) was terrific between the pipes for the hosts as she made 10 saves to pick up her sixth win of the season. All ten of Gagnon's saves came in the second and third periods when the Bears were outshot 12-0.

BSU wasted little time jumping to a 1-0 lead as junior Lexi James (Ipswich, Mass.) scored her fifth goal, assisted by freshman Taylor Carter (Walpole, Mass.), just 1:29 into the game.

Carter was outside the circle when she found James in the slot. James took the pass and slipped a shot inside the right post. She is tied for second on the team in goals.

The lead went to 2-0 at 10:53 when sophomore Madison Ellis (Attleboro, Mass.) scored from Carter, who is second on the team with seven assists.

Off a penalty corner, the ball went to McElroy, who sent a long pass to Carter on the opposite side of the field. A centering pass into the circle by Carter found Ellis, who turned and put a shot inside the left post. It was the third goal of the season for Ellis.

Nichols got within 2-1 in the second period when junior Merle Steinau (Essen, Germany) scored at 29:38.

The Bison were awarded a penalty stroke, and Steinau scored on a wrister inside the left post just before halftime.

After a scoreless third period, the Bears finished the scoring at 50:16 on a goal by McElroy, assisted by sophomore Abbie Zuber (Westport, Mass.). Also off a penalty corner, McElroys blast from just inside the circle found its way inside the left post.

Zuber leads BSU with eight assists and is second with 18 points.

Nichols had the advantage in possession and territory in the second period (and again in the third), but Gagnon kept the Bison scoreless until the penalty stroke.

Goalkeeper Sophia Venable (Troy, N.Y.) was called on to make two saves for the Bison, who had a 13-7 edge in overall shots.

Bridgewater finished with a 12-7 edge in penalty corner attempts with nine of the 12 penalty corners coming in the fourth quarter.

The BSU defense did not give up a shot over the final 18 minutes of the contest.

The Bears had lost their last two games to Nichols in 2021 and 2022. Their last win in the series was in the semifinal round of the 2007 ECAC tournament, 1-0.

BSU is right back in action Saturday afternoon, traveling to Framingham State for a 2 p.m. game.

Nichols (4-14) hosts Maine-Farmington at 4 p.m. Tuesday.