By Jim Fenton

SALEM, Mass. -- Meredith Sylvia (South Dartmouth, Mass.) had the best offensive game of her career to lead the Bridgewater State University lacrosse team to its 11th victory.

The junior scored a career-best seven goals, including three in a row in the second period, as the Bears defeated Salem State University, 16-4, on Wednesday afternoon.

BSU improved to 11-3 and is 3-1 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Bears were behind first-place Framingham State University (2-0), which played Wednesday night against the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

Playing its final road game of the regular season, BSU held a 6-2 lead after one period, then scored the only three goals of the second period for a 9-2 halftime lead.

Sylvia, who is third on the team with 36 goals, netted two in the first period, three in the second and one each in the third and fourth period.

Graduate student Riley Bina (Abington, Mass.) added three goals while senior Camryn Gonsalves (East Bridgewater, Mass.) had a goal and four assists for BSU.

Salem State (8-5, 0-2 in the conference) took a 1-0 lead just 2:04 into the game on a goal by junior Laura Young (Leominster, Mass.) before the Bears scored the next six goals.

Sylvia scored with 12:15 and 11:12 remaining in the period and senior Erin McIntyre (Tewksbury, Mass.) added another with 10:59 to go.

Junior Katie Lamothe (Dartmouth, Mass.) made it 4-1 with 8:44 left, junior Ashley Silva (Rowley, Mass.) scored with 5:13 to go and Bina gave BSU a five-goal lead with 1:50 remaining.

The Vikings scored with five seconds to go with sophomore Siobhan Smith (Peabody, Mass.) getting the goal.

Sylvia extended the lead to 9-2 by scoring with 12:27, 5:25 and 4:51 remaining in the half.

Bina upped the lead to 10-2 with a goal in the first minute of the second half.

Salem State graduate student Megan Parthum (Marblehead, Mass.) scored with 12:02 to go in the third period.

The Bears then scored the final five goals of the period.

Gonsalves netted her 51st with 9:13 left followed by Sylvia, Silva, Bina and freshman Lizzy Deacon (Amesbury, Mass.) in the final 8:24.

Sylvia scored her last goal of the day with 4:16 left in the fourth period and sophomore Kaylee Rich (Danvers, Mass.) gave Salem State its final goal with 2:18 to go.

Bears freshman goalkeeper Sara Skaff (Lowell, Mass.) made five saves in the first 45 minutes and sophomore Gianna Scarpelli (Medford, Mass.) played the fourth period.

Vikings sophomore goalkeeper Nora Bradley (Haddon Township, N.J.) had 16 stops.

The Bears held a 32-9 edge in shots on goal and an 18-6 advantage in draw controls.

BSU leads the all-time series with Salem State, 16-0.

The Bears end the regular-season with three straight games at Mazzaferro Field.

They will host Framingham State on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Breast Cancer Awareness Game.

Salem State will host Worcester State at noon on Saturday.