By Jim Fenton

DARTMOUTH, Mass. -- Samantha Souza (Dartmouth, Mass.) continued her sizzling start for the Bridgewater State University field hockey team Thursday night.

The sophomore forward scored three more goals to lead the Bears to a 5-0 win over the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth at Cressy Field.

Souza now has nine goals in three games after leading the team with 12 as a freshman in 2024. She had scored four goals in BSU's previous game against Maine-Farmington.

The Bears, playing their first road game, improved to 3-0 for the program's best start since going 5-0 in 2012.

BSU is also 26-18 against UMass Dartmouth with four straight wins in a series that started in 1973.

The Corsairs fell to 1-4 with their third straight loss.

The Bears jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first period and added another goal before halftime, then scored twice in the third period.

Senior Brianna Gagnon (Tewksbury, Mass.) recorded her second shutout in three games, making eight saves against the Corsairs.

Souza gave BSU a quick 1-0 edge six minutes in, scoring from freshman Ellie Moberg (Reading, Mass.).

Souza tapped a loose ball into an empty net after a shot by Moberg eluded the UMass Dartmouth goalkeeper.

Junior Abbie Zuber (Westport, Mass.) gave BSU a two-goal lead at 11:59 with a goal, her third of the season.

The score came off a penalty corner with Zuber netting the goal off a rebound.

At 20:47, Souza struck again, this time from Zuber, off a penalty corner for a 3-0 halftime lead.

Souza redirected a shot by Zuber into the back of the net.

The Bears made it 4-0 at 41:15 as sophomore Kallie Rose (Dartmouth, Mass.) scored her third goal, assisted by senior Raegen Perry (Nantucket, Mass.).

Rose converted from in close off the inside of the left post after getting a feed from Perry.

The scoring ended about two minutes later when Souza found the back of the net at 43:22 with Perry collecting her second assist of the evening.

Perry made a long run down the right side, stickhandled into the circle and sent a cross to Souza, who scored on a one-timer.

UMass Dartmouth sophomore Shane Cueman (Glen Ridge, N.J.) made nine saves.

Rose and Souza had five shots on goal each for the Bears, who finished with 14.

BSU returns home Saturday at 11 a.m. to face Wellesley College, a team the Bears have not defeated.

The Blue are off to a 0-3 start with two losses to nationally ranked Tufts University and Swarthmore College.

UMass Dartmouth will be in Worcester Saturday for a 2 p.m. game against Clark University.