(Photo Courtesy: Deanbulldogs.com)
FRANKLIN- The Dean Bulldogs Women's Soccer team fell 4-2 at home to Regis College on Tuesday afternoon. However, it was not all about the ending result, but instead the memories that were made set to last. With Dean College Seniors Jazzy Sztyler-Magee and Allie Bezio playing for their final time in a Bulldog uniform, neither which could have asked for a better send-off, each scoring one final goal seven minutes apart.
Dean began the first half with the momentum in their favor, maintaining early offensive pressure around the Pride’s zone. Despite the early action strung together by the Bulldogs offense, Dean was unable to sneak one through the net at the time.
For a good while, the Bulldogs spent more time with possession than the Pride had been able to. Dean had been locating the ball around on all ends, continuously capitalizing on Regis’s turnovers.
Mid-way through the first half, the Pride began to get things moving offensively, working the ball better in the offensive zone, resulting in frequent opportunities. Regis finally broke through 24 minutes in, taking a 1-0 lead on Reese Hatin’s first goal on the season off Colleen Curran’s assist.
With the momentum now very much in the Pride’s favor, Payton Bridge extended the one-goal advantage to 2-0, scoring on a penalty kick off a Dean foul. With Regis’s offense becoming hotter by the second, the Pride continued to add more insurance points, this time on Delaney Scanlon’s goal assisted by Avary Hall and Erin Flaherty. Regis would take the 3-0 lead into halftime.
Regis carried over the electric offense to the second half, as Hall joined the Pride goal scorers, quickly scoring on Dean’s second-half goalie switch, Haley Guant.
In hopes of avoiding the shutout, Sztyler-Magee did just that one last time, scoring her first goal since late September to put Dean on the scoreboard with a point. Bezio would partake in the excitement as well, following up Sztyler-Magee to score her first career goal in her four-year stint with the Bulldogs.
Following the late goals, the Bulldogs could not fully rebound in their rally attempt. The Bulldogs dropped their Senior Day game 4-2. With the loss, the Bulldogs finish with a 4-10-3 record on the season.
After the game, Bezio spoke fondly about the special accomplishment achieved in her final match and what contributing as a team member had been like overall.
“I knew it was my last chance to score. It meant a lot to me because it is something I always will remember. I've been able to watch the girls to the team since 2019, and the progress has been unreal. The hard work is paid off, and being able to grow this program to where it is at has been incredible."
Sztyler-Magee also spoke on the sidelines in depth about her final goal scored and what playing on the team for all four seasons meant for her.
With the 2023 Bulldogs season complete, Head Coach Ashley-Magruda Wood plans to continue working on the team's physical and technical abilities over the spring to show up ready for 2024.
“We're just going to get fitter and stronger”, said Head Coach Magruda-Wood on her hopes of what to build upon in 2024.