By Jim Fenton

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. -- In the first 68 games of his Bridgewater State University men's soccer career, Ryan Healy (Cork, Ireland) scored three goals.

Healy was a defender as a freshman and sophomore in 2022 and 2023 and shifted around to other positions, including midfielder, after that.

So scoring goals was not a primary role for Healy, who had one each in 2023, 2024 and the 2025 regular season.

And he had never scored a game-winning goal for the Bears.

But that changed in the two games that BSU played in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament last Friday night and Sunday afternoon.

Healy nearly doubled his career total for goals in those two games, and netted game-winning scores against Salem State in the semifinal round and the Massachusetts Maritime Academy in the title game.

Healy, who also had a pair of assists in the 4-1 win over Salem State, was selected the MASCAC tournament Most Valuable Player after helping the Bears win their second championship in three years.

His career totals went from three goals and six assists in 68 games to five goals and eight assists in those two victories.

"I kept saying, 'Who would have thought, me as the MVP?'" said Healy. "I honestly couldn't have drawn it up. I never was like the star player at any time. I just like to contribute and be part of the team and work hard.

"Being the MVP is a bit strange, actually."

Healy's performance helped land BSU (13-5-1) in the NCAA Division III tournament. The Bears play Saturday at 1:30 p.m. in Middletown, Conn., against Rowan University (15-3-4) of Glassboro, N.J.

Last Friday night against Salem State, Healy gave BSU a 2-0 lead by scoring on a rebound in the first half, then assisted on second-half goals by freshmen Cameron Walty (Weymouth, Mass.) and Ansley Glemaud (Dorchester Center, Mass.).

The highlight of his career came with 5:34 left in Sunday's championship game with Mass. Maritime. Healy broke a scoreless tie by converting on a header in front with a defender nearby, finishing off a feed from senior Gavin Norton (Rockland, Mass.).

"He's a hard-working kid, kind of a perfectionist," said coach Brendan Adams. "He's always looking for the perfect game. He has a hard work rate.

"He was in the right place at the right time. He peaked at the right time, I guess, getting the two goals."

Healy, in his second season as one of BSU's captains, lived in Ireland until he was 10 years old.

His family had lived in Boston until moving to Plymouth, Mass., in 2018 and he played four years of soccer at Plymouth North High.

Healy arrived at BSU in 2022 and said a connection with one of his Plymouth North coaches, Dana Powers, helped lead him to the Bears. Powers is a Bridgewater State graduate and former goalkeeper coach at his alma mater.

Healy started playing soccer while growing up in Ireland, and his father, Tim, was one of his coaches.

"Soccer is a massive sport in Ireland," said Healy. "It's probably still behind hurling and Gaelic football. But it's definitely very popular and growing."

As a BSU freshman, Healy started six of the 18 games he played, and made nine starts out of 19 games in 2023, scoring his first career goal.

Last season, Healy had a goal and two assists in 16 games with five starts, and he has started a career-high 13 games this fall.

No matter what happens in the NCAAs, Healy will leave BSU with an MVP trophy and two MASCAC championships, also winning in 2023.

"I was a little underwhelmed with how my career went before this weekend," said Healy, a psychology major. "Now I've kind of satisfied my initial strivings.

"This weekend definitely feels good for me because the hard work finally paid off, it feels like now, and I'm being recognized for it."

Healy, named the MASCAC Offensive Player of the Week for the first time in his career, contributes in a variety of ways, and when the season was on the line, that included goal scoring.

"I found a spot in this formation to play and I think I do it quite well," said Healy. "But I'm happy to help anywhere I can. I think I've played almost every position for Coach Adams in my four years.

"I'm satisfied with how it's finishing. I've had some ups and down throughout my four years. I do believe that everything happens for a reason. What happened this weekend is a fruit of all the hard work and all the tough times there have been these four years."