#2 Bridgewater State Gets Past #3 Salem State in MASCAC Semifinal Shootout

BRIDGEWATER, Mass. – #2 seed Bridgewater State University advanced to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) men's soccer championship game on penalty kicks after forging a 0-0 double overtime tie with third-seeded Salem State University in the semifinal round of the 2018 MASCAC Tournament on Friday afternoon at Swenson Field. Bridgewater won the penalty kick round by a margin of 4-1.

The Bears (10-7-1) will travel to top-seeded Framingham State University on Sunday afternoon to take on the Rams at 3:00 PM with the MASCAC title and a trip to the NCAA Division III Tournament on the line. Framingham edged #4 Worcester State University in the other semifinal matchup, 2-1. The visiting Vikings end the season with an overall record of 12-3-4.

Neither team was able to find the back of the net over 90 minutes of regulation and two ten-minute overtime periods. In the first overtime, Bridgewater State senior midfielder Kessy Alves (Praia, Cape Verde) chipped a shot just over the crossbar off a corner kick midway through session. Moments later, freshman midfielder Igor Caldas (Vitoria, Brazil) fired a shot from 30 yards out that sailed wide of the right post. In the second OT, neither team could muster a shot.

Following the 110 minutes of scoreless action, the two teams headed to the penalty kick round. Bears' junior goalkeeper Nate Morgado (Dartmouth, Mass.) stopped two of the three penalty kicks that he faced with a pair of outstanding diving stops, while the BSU shooters converted on each of their four opportunities. Senior midfielder Kane Moran (Dartmouth, Mass.), Alves, sophomore forward Kevin Roberts (Medway, Mass.) and freshman midfielder Robson Montrond (Brockton, Mass.) all scored for the Bears in the shootout, with Montrond's tally setting off a celebration.

Bridgewater finished with a 20-10 shot advantage as well as a 7-4 edge in corner kick attempts.

Morgado turned aside three shots to record his fifth shutout of the season and 12^th of his career. Salem junior netminder Christopher Jimenez (Nashua, N.H.) made eight saves to post his fifth shutout of the 2018 campaign.

(Courtesy Bridgewater State Sports Information)