WEST HARTFORD, Conn. -- The Bridgewater State University men's soccer team secured its first victory of 2024 with a late game-winning goal.

Junior Filippo Mucci (Vineyard Haven, Mass.) broke a tie by scoring with less than five minutes remaining as the Bears edged the University of Saint Joseph, 3-2, Tuesday night.

BSU (1-1) netted a pair of goals in the final 20 minutes to overtake the Blue Jays (0-2) at the Saint Joseph Soccer Field.

Junior Gavin Norton (Rockland, Mass.) assisted on the goal by Mucci at 85:16 to give the Bears the edge. Norton collected a long cross-field pass from senior Jacob Ramos (New Bedford, Mass.) just outside the 18 and centered the ball to Mucci whose shot deflected off the diving goalkeeper's mit and into the net.

Mucci was tied for second on the team with six goals a year ago when BSU went to the NCAA Division 3 tournament.

Saint Joseph took a 1-0 lead 10:34 into the game when senior Dane Stephens (Linstead, Jamaica) registered his first of two goals, assisted by freshman Mario Milardo (Middletown, Conn.). Stephens got behind the Bears' defense and beat the keeper with a shot inside the left post.

In the final seconds of the opening half, BSU tied it when Ramos set up senior Nicolas Matias (Framingham, Mass.). Ramos made a long run from near midfield, dribbled by a defender and slipped a pass between a pair of Blue Jay defenders to a wide open Matias at the top of the 18. One-on-one with the goalkeeper, Matias ripped a shot off the right post and in to knot the score at 1-1.

The Blue Jays retook the lead, 2-1, when Stephens scored on a penalty kick at 54:17.

BSU tied the game at 70:53 as sophomore Hector Bucio (Easton, Mass.) converted off a restart with Matias collecting the assist. Sophomore Nicholas Ribeiro (Bellingham, Mass.) sent a cross into the six that was knocked away by the Blue Jay netminder. Matias tapped the loose ball over to Bucio whose header attempt found the back of the net.

Sophomore Matheus Rodrigues (Edgartown, Mass.), making his first start for the Bears, recorded the win by making three saves in net.

Saint Joseph freshman goalkeeper Will Slayton (Manchester, Conn.) had a pair of saves against BSU, which held an 18-14 edge in shots.

The Bears had lost to the Blue Jays, 3-1, last season.

BSU plays its second of three straight road games on Saturday at noon against the Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston.

Saint Joseph, which was 13-2-3 a year ago, plays Wheaton College at 1 p.m. on Saturday.