BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University field hockey team picked up its first win of the season as the host Bears edged Dean College, 4-2, on Wednesday night at Mazzaferro Field.

The Bears improve to 1-2 on the young season while the visiting Bulldogs fall to 2-3. The two teams have met each of the past four seasons with Bridgewater State winning all four contests.

Freshman forwards Taylor Carter (East Walpole, Mass.) and Samantha Souza (Dartmouth, Mass.) tallied a goal and an assist apiece to lead the way for Bridgewater State while junior goalkeeper Catherine Daoulas (Marshfield, Mass.) made three saves to pick up the win between the pipes.

Dean freshman forward Emily Yazzetti (Mahopac, N.Y.) opened the scoring at the 7:32 mark of the first quarter. Yazzetti intercepted an inbounds pass, stickhandled into the circle and ripped a shot inside the left post for her team-leading fifth goal of the season.

The Bears used a flurry of goals over the final 5 ½ minutes of the second quarter to take a 3-1 lead.

Junior forward Carly Delgado (Wareham, Mass.) got the BSU scoring outburst started off a penalty corner with 5:23 remaining in the second quarter. Delgado collected a pass from Carter in front of the net and backhanded a shot past the Bulldog netminder for her first goal in a BSU uniform.

Just 76 seconds later, junior forward Raegen Perry (Nantucket, Mass.) knocked home the rebound of a Madison Ellis (So., Attleboro, Mass.) shot to give the Bears the lead. Perry's first strike of the season also came off a penalty corner.

Less then three minutes later, Carter gave the hosts a two-goal advantage with her first collegiate marker. Souza corralled a centering from Delgado in front of the cage and tapped a short pass to Carter who slipped a shot inside the right post.

The Bulldogs pulled to within one 3:40 into the third quarter as sophomore forward Tristyn Williams (Harwich, Mass.) converted off a penalty corner for her third goal of the 2024 campaign.  From the top of the circle, Yazzetti sent a shot towards the net that was deflected by sophomore midfielder Jordan Boelig (Tilton, N.H.). The ball went directly to the stick of Williams, stationed near the left post, who slipped a shot by the sprawling BSU keeper.

Souza netted her first collegiate marker to regain the two-goal cushion for the Bears with 5:31 remaining in the final period. Off a penalty corner, sophomore midfielder Abbie Zuber (Westport, Mass.) fired a shot from the top of the circle that deflected off the extended stick of Souza and into the back of the cage.

Bridgewater held a decided 17-8 shot advantage for the game as well as an 8-5 edge in penalty corner attempts.

Allie Stockwell and Sara Gardner split the game between the pipes for the visitors as the duo combined for nine saves. The Bulldogs also received a defensive save from junior defender Emma Mock (Tunkhannock, Pa.).

The Bears travel to Wellesley College on Saturday for a noontime game with The Blue. The Bulldogs open Great Northeast Athletic Conference (GNAC) play on Saturday as they travel to New England College to take on the Pilgrims at 11:00 AM.