Panzini Leads Bears to 3-0 Shutout Win over Worcester State

Box Score 

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – Senior forward Ashley Panzini (Saugus, MA) tallied a pair of second half goals to lead the Bridgewater State College field hockey team to a 3-0 shutout victory over Little East rival Worcester State this afternoon in Bridgewater. With the win, the Bears improve to 6-2 on the season and 3-2 in the Little East Conference.

The last time that the BSC field hockey team opened the season with six wins in their first eight games was in 1995. Bridgewater alsosnapped a four-game losing streak versus the Lancers as the Bears had been outscored in those four previous contests by a margin of 20 to 3. Worcester falls to 5-5 overall and 1-4 in conference play as they have now lost three straight conference games.

After a scoreless first half, Panzini jumpstarted the Bears offense in the second as she gave BSC a 1-0 lead midway through the period. Panzini received a pass from freshman forward Bethany Bush (Littleton, MA) and rifled a shot just inside the far left post. Six minutes later Bush increased the lead to 2-0, off an assist from senior forward Katie Balboni (Townsend, MA), as her shot from the right side deflected in off the stick of a Worcester defender.

Balboni picked up her second helper of the afternoon on Panzini’s second goal of the game’s in the 62nd minute of play. Off a scramble in front of the Worcester goaltender, Balboni took a shot that was deflected by Panzini into the back of the net.

Senior netminder Nicole Downs (Hanover, MA) picked up her sixth win of the season as she combined with freshman Katie Weber (Arlington, MA) on the shutout. Downs, who made three saves, came out of the game following the Bears third goal. Weber turned aside the only shot she faced over the last 8:09.

Worcester goaltender Erin MacDonald (Dedham, MA) made two saves, both of which came in the second half.

The Bears are back in action on Tuesday night as they travel to Westfield State College for a key Little East match with the Owls. Game time is slated for 7 PM. Worcester returns home to take on UMass-Dartmouth on Tuesday night at 7.