By Jim Fenton
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- The first month of the Bridgewater State University football season ended with a disappointing overtime loss.
The Bears, who twice rallied from double-digit deficits, were outlasted by Framingham State University, 46-40, at Bowditch Field.
BSU trailed, 40-27, with less than three minutes to go in regulation, then scored a pair of touchdowns in the span of 1:02 to make it 40-40.
But a missed extra point with 1:32 remaining prevented the Bears from taking the lead and eventually resulted in overtime. The Rams then won it on their first possession of the extra session.
An 18-yard pass from sophomore Treyvon Fields (Dorcester, Mass.) to junior Alex Maia (Central Falls, R.I.) on third-and-3 broke the tie and gave Framingham State its third straight victory.
The Bears are now 1-3, including 1-2 in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference. Framingham State improved to 3-1 and is 3-0 in the conference.
The Rams moved in front, 40-27, with 2:52 to go when Fields threw an 8-yard TD pass to junior Ayden Ramirez (Attleboro, Mass.), finishing a drive that started at the Bears' 13 following a punt miscue.
BSU needed one play to cut the deficit to 40-34 as freshman quarterback Joseph Dube-Garrett (Fort Myers, Fla.) connected with freshman Joseph Fallon (Nesconset, N.Y.) on a 71-yard TD pass.
Senior Joey Naso (Hopewell Junction, N.Y.) added the point after to make it a six-point game with 2:34 to go.
BSU then recovered an onside kick at its own 46 and a roughing the passer penalty moved the ball to the Rams' 39.
Facing a third-and-10 at the Framingham State 17, Dube-Garrett found freshman Mike Wynn (Palm Harbor, Fla.) for a tying TD with 1:12 left. But the point-after try by Naso was no good.
The Bears had the ball first in overtime, but after losing 12 yards, Dube-Garrett was intercepted on fourth down by junior Amari Williams (Boston, Mass.).
BSU was behind, 14-0, less than five minutes into the second quarter.
Maia caught a 25-yard TD pass from freshman Michael Marcucella (Foxboro, Mass.) just 4:47 into the game, capping an eight-play, 75-yard drive.
With 11:11 to go in the half, sophomore Jaheim Daniels (Norwalk, Conn.) was on the receiving end of a 40-yard TD pass from Marcucella to finish a nine-play, 41-yard drive.
The Bears got on the scoreboard with 9:04 left in the half as Dube-Garrett found senior Mohale Mitchell (Lakewood, Col.), ending a six-play, 85-yard drive with a 7-yard scoring pass.
The BSU defense then produced a pair of TDs to put the Bears ahead, 21-14.
With 4:22 left in the half, senior Peter Celestino (Rockland, Mass.) returned a fumble 20 yards for a TD to even the game after Naso's kick.
Then, with 1:48 remaining before the break, senior Hunter Hastings (Plainville, Mass.) intercepted a pass and returned it 52 yards for the go-ahead TD.
Framingham State went back on top 2:26 into the second half on a 71-yard run by Daniels, but the kick failed, making it 21-20.
Naso kicked a 40-yard field goal with nine minutes left in the third quarter for a 24-20 BSU lead, but junior Mathias Fowler (Lynn, Mass.) put the Rams in the lead, 27-24, when he caught a 40-yard pass from Marcucella.
The quarter ended with the game even at 27 after Naso kicked a 27-yard field goal.
Framingham State broke the tie with 10:46 left in regulation on a 15-yard pass from Fields to Ramirez. The 2-point conversion try failed, leaving the Bears down, 33-27.
That is how it stood until three TDs were scored in the span of 1:20 late in regulation, sending it to OT.
Dube-Garrett completed 13 of 34 passes for 219 yards and three TDs.
Wright caught four passes for 81 yards and rushed nine times for 47 yards for BSU.
Marcucella was 16 of 20 for 167 yards for the Rams while Fields was 8-for-9 for 83 yards.
Daniels carried 22 times for 154 yards and Ramriez made eight catches for 77 yards.
The Rams had a 25-17 edge in first downs and a 34:17-25:43 advantage in time of possession. BSU was outgained, 459-305.
BSU will remain on the road, traveling to Worcester State for a 1:30 p.m. game Saturday.
Framingham will be at Fitchburg State for a noon game on Saturday.