Miskiv, Farland Lead Field Hockey to 3-2 Win over Salem

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – The Bridgewater State University field hockey team used a three-goal second half outburst as the Bears downed the Vikings of Salem State University, 3-2, in Little East Conference (LEC) action on Wednesday night at Swenson Field.

Bridgewater improves to 14-2 on the season and 8-1 in the Little East with the win, while Salem slips to 8-6 overall and 4-5 in conference play.  The Bears are currently tied for second place in the LEC standings along with Keene State College.

Bridgewater erased a 1-0 halftime deficit by scoring three times in a span of 15 minutes in the second half.  Junior forward Demi Miskiv (Centerville, Mass.) figured in all three BSU goals as she scored twice and added an assist.

Miskiv tied the game at 1-1 with her 15th marker of the season just over two minutes into the second half.  Classmate Carissa Vizakis (Bellingham, Mass.) tipped a shot towards the back post and Miskiv batted the ball out of midair and into the back of the net. [video]

BSU senior midfielder Shelby Farland (Fiskdale, Mass.) gave the Bears a 2-1 lead in the 46th minute as she ripped a shot inside the left post off a feed from Miskiv. [video]  Farland would return the favor less than seven minutes later as she set up Miskiv's 16th goal of the season, a shot that beat the Salem netminder to the left side. [video]

With the goal and assist, Farland now has 64 points (26G, 12A) on the year as she added on to her school single-season record.  Farland's 26 goals is second only to Karen Croteau's program mark of 29 goals set in 1982, and her 12 assists trails only Ann Silvia's 1998 record of 15.  Farland ranks second in BSU field hockey history in goals (54), assists (24) and points (132).  She needs one assist to tie the Bears' career mark of 25 currently held by Bethany Bush (2007-10).

Senior midfielder Courtney Lynch (North Andover, Mass.) staked the Vikings to the early 1-0 lead as she scored off a penalty corner in the tenth minute of play.  Junior defender Stephanie Morrison (Beverly, Mass.) assisted on the goal as she passed the ball to an open Lynch who fired a shot into the right side of the net from just inside the circle. [video] Freshman forward Kathleen Clark (Southboro, Mass.) would round out the scoring with just seven seconds left in the game as she found the back of the net off a rebound off a blocked shot.

Bridgewater held a 20-11 shot advantage for the game as well as a 17-10 edge in penalty corners.

BSU junior goaltender Kacie Sturgeon (Dartmouth, Mass.) made five saves to post her seventh win of the season.  Salem junior Michaela Boyer (South Hadley, Mass.) turned aside seven shots between the pipes for the Vikings.

Both teams are back in action on Saturday as the Bears entertain Little East foe Plymouth State University at noon, while the Vikings host conference rival Framingham State University at three.