By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The Fitchburg State University field hockey team scored five second-half goals in the span of 20:22 to defeat Bridgewater State University Saturday afternoon.

The Falcons scored twice in the third period and added three goals in the fourth period for a 5-0 victory over the Bears at Mazzaferro Field.

BSU falls to 3-7 overall and 1-4 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. Fitchburg State is atop the MASCAC at 5-0 and is 6-6 overall.

The game marked the end of the first half of the conference schedule. The teams will meet again in Fitchburg on Nov. 2 to finish the regular season.

Junior Olivia Narkevicius (Phillipston, Mass.) had three goals and junior Sophia Yates (Woodstock, Vt.) added the other two for the Falcons with senior Alexis Raymond (Tewksbury, Mass.) chipping in with two assists.

The game was scoreless until 6:07 into the second half when Fitchburg State got the offense in gear.

Yates netted the first goal with Raymond assisting at 36:07 and Narkevicius followed with her initial goal at 44:25 with Raymond getting the assist.

The Bears fell behind, 3-0, at 47:25 when Yates scored, and less than two minutes later, Narkevicius scored from Yates at 49:07.

The scoring was completed at 56:29 as Narkevicius registered the hat trick from senior Sydney Alto (Chelmsford, Mass.).

The Falcons held a 13-4 edge in shots on goal and took 19 shots to the Bears' six. Fitchburg State also had a 17-9 advantage in penalty corners.

BSU junior goalkeeper Brianna Gagnon (Tewksbury, Mass.) made nine saves while freshman Isabella Corcorean (Braintree, Mass.) had four saves for the Falcons. Senior Noelle Cornetta (Hanson, Mass.) recorded her team-leading sixth defensive save of the season.

The Bears hold a 28-11-1 record over Fitchburg State in the series.

BSU has a non-conference game on Monday at 7 p.m. at UMass Dartmouth.

Fitchburg State is at Framingham State at 7 p.m. on Wednesday.