Women's Lacrosse Downs Framingham State, 6-4

By Jim Fenton

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- The Bridgewater State University women's lacrosse team will be the No. 3 seed in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference tournament.

The Bears finished the regular season on Saturday morning by recording their fourth straight victory to clinch the third seed at Maple Street Field.

BSU and Framingham State University entered the day tied for third place, but the Bears put together a strong defensive performance to defeat the Rams, 6-4, and move ahead of them in the final standings.

BSU (7-10, 5-2 in the conference) will open the MASCAC tournament against sixth-seeded Salem State University at Mazzaferro Field on Tuesday night with a quarterfinal-round game.

The Bears opened the conference schedule 1-2, losing to the top two teams (Worcester State and Westfield State) before winning their final four MASCAC games in the last 12 days.

Sophomore goalkeeper Sara Skaff (Lowell, Mass.) stopped eight shots for BSU, which limited the Rams (7-10, 4-3) to just one second-half goal.

Framingham State had the edge in shots, 17-12, shots on goal, 12-11, groundballs, 22-21, and draw controls, 7-6.

Rams' senior goalkeeper Bella DiMare (Wakefield, Mass.) made five saves.

BSU was led by senior Katie Lamothe (Dartmouth, Mass.) and sophomore Sophia Fleurent (Fairhaven, Mass.) with two goals and an assist each. Senior Meredith Sylvia (Dartmouth, Mass.) had her team-best 38th goal and an assist.

Scoring two goals apiece for Framingham State were sophomore Emma Kendzulak (Windham, N.H.) and freshman Jenna James (Brewerton, N.Y.).

BSU was ahead after one period, 2-1, with Lamothe and sophomore Taylor Carter (Walpole, Mass.) scoring. Kendzulak had the goal for the Rams.

The game was even at 3-3 at halftime.

After Fleurent pushed BSU's lead to 3-1, James and Kendzulak scored goals with less than three minutes remaining in the second period.

James gave Framingham State a 4-3 lead in the opening minute of the second half, but Sylvia tied with with 11:02 to go and Lamothe put BSU back in front with 1:53 left.

The lone goal of the fourth period was scored with 5:19 to go by Fleurent, her 30th of the season.

This marks the second straight year that the Bears had only two MASCAC losses after going 4-2 in 2025.

BSU and Salem State will meet in the opening round of the conference tourney for a second straight year. The Bears eliminated the Vikings, 21-8, at home last season.