By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- The championship game of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference men's soccer tournament appeared to be destined for overtime.

Top-seeded Bridgewater State University and the second-seeded Massachusetts Maritime Academy played more than 84 minutes without scoring Sunday afternoon.

Then, with only 5:34 remaining in regulation, two of the Bears' senior captains combined to make the play that sent their team to a MASCAC title.

Ryan Healy (Cork, Ireland) scored on a header in front off a perfect feed from Gavin Norton (Rockland, Mass.) to lift BSU to a 1-0 victory over the Buccaneers at Mazzaferro Field.

Junior goalkeeper Kyle Sullivan (Enfield, Conn.) and the Bears' defensive unit then held off Mass. Maritime to secure the championship.

BSU (13-5-1) won its seventh MASCAC tournament title and will make an eighth appearance in the NCAA Division III tourney next Saturday.

The Bears will learn their opponent and the site of the NCAA game during the selection show Monday at 11:30 AM on ncaa.com.

"They're a great team, Mass. Maritime," said Healy, named the Most Valuable Player of the tourney after scoring two game-winning goals. "A lot of respect for them. They fought hard all season. It was a tough battle."

Said BSU coach Brendan Adams, "It was a great header by Ryan. Someone had to step up. It was a good team we were going against. It was sweet to win."

Sullivan made four saves to record his eighth shutout in his first season with the Bears.

Mass. Maritime sophomore goalkeeper Preston Joia (Mashpee, Mass.) stopped eight shots.

Both teams had scoring chances throughout the game, but the defenses were up to the challenge.

With time winding down, Norton was in possession of the ball from freshman Cameron  Walty (Weymouth, Mass.) and went down the left side. He spotted Healy moving in front of the net and sent a left-footed cross. The ball was perfectly placed, and Healy, with a defender right on him in front, headed it into the open portion of the goal to break the tie at 84:26.

"I saw Gavin running down the line," said Healy. "He's one of our better wingers and I knew he was going to put a good cross into the box.

"It was just about judging the speed and the direction. He got it around the first (defender). My job was to get around the second man and I did. It was such a tight squeeze. I had to change direction a little bit and squeeze my head in front."

Healy also had the game-winning goal in Friday's 4-1 semifinal-round win over Salem State after scoring just once in the regular season.

"One of our best players came up and stepped up," said Norton, who recorded his sixth assist. "He made a great run towards the net. I put it right on his head and he put it right in the net for us.

"You can tell he goes to the weight room (after creating space in front). He wins a lot of balls for us in the middle. I definitely have full confidence in him.''

Mass. Maritime, in search of its first MASCAC championship, had a prime opportunity to tie the game with 2:50 remaining.

There was a scramble in front of the goal and Sullivan was on the other side when junior Joseph Hajjar (Abington, Mass.) headed a shot that appeared to be going into the net.

But BSU junior Tyler Chang (Acushnet, Mass.) was there to prevent the Buccaneers from tying the game, knocking the ball away.

Sullivan and the Bears' defense, which includes junior Hector Bucio (Easton, Mass.), recorded their sixth shutout in nine games since the start of October.

"Kyle's been fantastic for us," said Adams. "He's been a rock for us."

Healy came through at the right time of the season, producing at the offensive end.

"It means a lot to me," said Healy. "I'm not someone that's always on the score sheet. I feel like I contribute a lot to this team and hopefully the guys would agree with me. But it feels good to finally cap it off with a couple of big goals and assists towards the end."

BSU's lone MASCAC loss was to Mass. Maritime (11-5-3) on Sept. 12, 3-1. The teams were meeting in the conference tourney for only the third time with the Bears now 3-0.

"That was a good one right there," said Adams. "The guys played really well.

"The other day, guys were asking if this is one of the better teams we've ever had. I said that it's up there. They definitely bring some intangibles to the game.

"Some guys are great one-one-one players, some guys read the game real well, some guys are great dribblers.

"It's fun to coach a group like this."

And the season will continue next weekend with another appearance in the NCAAs, the second in three years for the Bears.

"It's always fun to get there," said Adams. "The next goal the guy have is let's get to the second round."

Notes: The Bears also won the MASCAC Tournament crown in 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2018 and 2023. NCAA Tournament appearanaces include 1990, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015, 2018, and 2023.