By Jim Fenton
BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- Here's a look at the week ahead (Aug. 25-31) for the Bridgewater State University athletics teams:
FRIDAY
MEN'S SOCCER, at Johnson & Wales, 6:00 PM: The Bears kick off BSU's 2025-26 athletic schedule with a non-conference game in Providence, R.I.
BSU was edged by the Wildcats, 2-1 in last year's season opener on a goal by Christopher Vargas in the 82nd minute.
The Bears went 10-5-3 last season and won a second straight Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference regular-season title.
Johnson & Wales finished 15-3-3 and was 10-1-3 in the Great Northeast Athletic Conference. The Wildcats lost to Saint Joseph's of Connecticut, 2-1, in the GNAC final.
WOMEN'S SOCCER, at Brandeis University, 7:00 PM: The Bears have lost 11 straight games in the series with the Judges.
Brandeis scored a 3-1 win at BSU last season when it was ranked No. 23 in the national Division 3 poll.
The Judges finished with a 9-7-1 record while the Bears went 12-5-3 and reached the NCAA Division 3 tournament for the first time since 2013.
FIELD HOCKEY, at home, Plymouth State, 7:00 PM: The Bears begin the season at Mazzaferro Field, hosting the Panthers.
BSU lost at Plymouth State, 3-2, last season after holding a 2-0 lead. Caroline Coleman scored the game-winning goal with 2:14 remaining.
The Bears reached the final round of the MASCAC tournament, losing to Westfield State, 2-1, as the No. 5 seed to finish with a 10-11 record.
The Panthers went 10-9 last season.
SATURDAY
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY, at the Suffolk Short Course Classic, 10:00 AM: The Bears travel to Highland Park in Attleboro, Mass., for the race on the Mark Coogan Cross Country Course.
Last season, BSU opened the season in Attleboro, taking part in the 10th annual Wheaton and Babson Season Opener, and finished fourth.
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY, at the Suffolk Short Course Classic, 10:00 AM: BSU begins the season at Highland Park in Attleboro.
A year ago, BSU's Naomi Cass finished first on the Mark Coogan Cross Country Course in Attleboro at the Wheaton and Babson Season Opener.
WOMEN'S TENNIS, at home, Saint Joseph's of Connecticut, Noon: The Bears began last season with a 5-2 road win over the Blue Jays.
BSU finished 10-4 a year ago and lost in the semifinal round of the Little East tournament to Rhode Island College.
Saint Joseph's finished 11-7 and was defeated by Colby-Sawyer in the final round of the GNAC tournament.