Bears Fall Sports Recap
This Fall sports season saw some major wins for the Bridgewater State University men’s and women’s teams all around. Many teams made their conference tournaments, and some of our very own Bears teams even clinched their conference titles. Here’s the breakdown of how each team did this season:
Football:
BSU Bears football went 6-4 for the season, with a .600 winning percentage. They began the season to a slow start with three consecutive losses. but quickly turned things around before Homecoming, where they won 40-27 over Western Connecticut State. Their first victory of the season would set off a four-game winning streak. After their win over West Conn, they defeated Fitchburg State at the 2022 Homecoming Game, where they shut out the Falcons with a record setting 82-0 final score. During the 43rd Annual Cranberry Bowl this past Saturday, the Bears football shut out the Buccaneers 10-0. The Bears finished fourth in the MASCAC, going 6-2 against their conference opponents.
Men’s and Women’s Cross Country:
Our BSU Cross-Country teams have fared very well this season! Both teams were very impressive and had successful seasons, so much so that the Men’s team took home the title of MASCAC Champions on October 29. The Women’s team also performed well at the MASCAC Championship Meet, coming in 3rd place. Whether it was an athlete who consistently was a frontrunner for the team, someone who had a breakout meet and hit personal records, or an integral presence in the locker room, the team’s success was truly that – a team effort, head coach Christine Kloiber (she/her) told The Comment. Both teams will compete at the NCAA Division III Championships this Saturday in Lansing, Michigan.
Men’s and Women’s Soccer:
Soccer was another area where BSU was productive and found success. Both teams made it far in the MASCAC Tournaments, with the Men’s team making it to the Championship. The Women’s team made it to the Semifinal, but lost to Fitchburg State 2-1. The Men’s team finished their season with a 1-1 tie in the Championship against Worcester State. What was very important for the Men’s success is the team culture, thanks to head coach Brendan Adams(he/him). They took to the mantra “adapt and overcome,” even adding the quote to their practice shirts.
“Whatever [challenges in soccer] it is, you have to adapt to it and then overcome it, just like in life…You just gotta keep trying to pursue your goals.” Adams said. The Men’s team stood at 7-8-4 on the season, and the Women’s at 10-6-2.
Field Hockey:
The BSU Field Hockey team struggled throughout the season, but never gave up. They finished the season 2-15, scoring 14 goals throughout their season. Head Coach Ashley Bishop (she/her) remains positive about the future despite the tough season. “Since I was new, and half the players were new, our goals were really based on growth and development. We knew we would face hard losses, but we never wavered in our commitment to just getting better every day,” Bishop expressed after her first season with BSU Field Hockey. BSU will move from the Little East Conference to the MASCAC beginning in the 2023 season.
Volleyball:
BSU Volleyball made it to the MASCAC Tournament, but fell in the Quarterfinal to Worcester State. The Bears went 9-11 on season with a .450 winning percentage. The team started off strong with a three-game win streak in September, going 6-4 in their first month of the season. They would have another three-game streak in October, but stumbled for the rest of the season. The Bears lost six straight to end the year, including the Quarterfinal loss. BSU Volleyball went 3-4 against their conference opponents.
Tennis:
Our Bears Women’s Tennis team fared well this season, finishing the season with a 9-5 record. They made it to the Little East Conference Tournament Semifinal, where they lost 5-0 to Rhode Island College. They had been undefeated in the month of October before the loss. For more details, check out our last issue for our spotlight on BSU Women’s Tennis!
