Men’s Soccer Stays Undefeated in MASCAC Play; Defeat Bridgewater 2-1

Bridgewater, Mass.- The visiting Framingham State University men's soccer team earned a 2-1 victory over Bridgewater State University in a Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) matchup on Friday afternoon at Swenson Field.

THE BASICS:

- Score:  Framingham State 2, Bridgewater State 1

- Records:  Framingham State (8-6-1, 5-0 MASCAC), Bridgewater State (2-11-1, 2-3 MASCAC)

- Location: Bridgewater, Mass. – Swenson Field

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Bridgewater forward David Nelson (East Bridgewater, Mass.) opened the scoring in the eighth minute as he notched his third goal of the season. Nelson tucked a shot inside the left post from the top of the 18 off an assist from junior forward Kevin Roberts (Medway, Mass.).
• The Bears nearly took a 2-0 lead in the 25^th minute as senior forward Justin Borges (Milford, Mass.) ripped a shot just over the crossbar from 20 yards out.
• BSU senior goalkeeper Nate Morgado (Dartmouth, Mass.) made a terrific leaping stop on header attempt by freshman defender Dante Mancini (Hopedale, Mass.) in the 28^th minute to maintain the lead for the Bears.
• Morgado also made a tremendous diving stop on a shot labeled for the right side of the cage by Ibrahim Kyeyune (Kampala, Uganda) in the 37^th minute.
• The Rams tied the game at 1-1 on a controversial goal with 90 seconds remaining in the first half. Just as the BSU keeper was fielding a loose ball inside the 18, freshman forward Josh Ofosu(Chelmsford, Mass.) knocked it out of his hands and tapped a shot into the wide open net. The scoring strike marked Ofosu's second of the season.
• In the second half, Morgado punched one over the crossbar on a one-timer by senior forward Isaac De Souza (Sao Paulo, Brazil) from the top of the six in the 49^th minute. Morgado made another leaping stop on a shot by senior forward Bryce Nardizzi (Framingham, Mass.) headed for the top-left corner of the net in the 60^th minute. Moments later, Ofosu slipped a shot just wide of the far post from the top-right corner of the 18.
• Nardizzi broke the 1-1 tie in the 74^th minute as he curled a shot inside the left post from 22 yards out. Junior defender Leonardo Sena (Framingham, Mass.) picked the assist on Nardizzi's seventh goal of the season.
• The Bears had a golden opportunity to net the equalizer as they were awarded a penalty kick in the 79^th minute. Framingham senior keeper Corey Davidge (Blackstone, Mass.), however, made a diving stop on Roberts' PK attempt to maintain the lead for the Rams.
• Davidge made another diving stop on a header attempt by Roberts off a long throw-in with just over a minute remaining in regulation to help seal the victory for the Rams.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS:

• Framingham held a 24-15 shot advantage for the game as well as an 8-2 edge in corner kick attempts.
• Davidge made just the two saves to record his sixth win of the season. Morgado stopped nine shots in the setback for Bridgewater State.

UP NEXT:

The Bears host the Corsairs of UMass Dartmouth on Tuesday afternoon at 3:30, while the Rams travel to UMass Boston on Tuesday night for a seven o'clock game with the Beacons.