The Massachusetts women’s soccer team continued its win streak with a dominant 3-0 victory at Bryant University Sunday afternoon, where the Minutewomen (4-2-1) played tough and controlled both sides of the field for the full 90 minutes.

UMass started hot on offense, scoring two goals within the first 12 minutes of play and quickly set an aggressive pace on attacking that led to one more goal in the second half. With all three goals scored by different Minutewomen, the Bulldogs (2-4-1) struggled to find a way to stop UMass’ versatile offense.

“Incredibly impressed with how our team has been starting games, and you know it’s showing that we have so much maturity and so many upperclassmen … that are just leading the way with their voices, with their attitudes, with their readiness and their energy,” head coach Jason Dowiak said.

The first goal came in the eighth minute from senior forward Ashley Lamond, who netted her second goal this season, assisted by senior midfielder Emma Pedolzky. Pedolzky dribbled the ball across the box, finding Lamond through the seam, who sent the ball into the back of the net for the first score of the day.

Only four minutes later, the Minutewomen continued on the attack, where senior midfielder Bella Recinos ran across the top of the box, with no defender picking her up, and sent the ball high right for the second goal of the game with a powerful shot. This was Recinos’ fourth goal of the season, as she leads UMass in goals scored. Pedolzky, who played her first two seasons of collegiate soccer at Bryant, was awarded the assist, her second of the day.

The third and final goal of the game was scored by graduate student forward Grace Pinkus at the 50th-minute mark, solidifying a victory for the Minutewomen. Pinkus’ first goal of the season was assisted by senior forward Chandler Pedolzky.

“Our confidence is high right now, just outright and I think that’s why we are creating so many great chances early in the last few games … the first 20 minutes or so in back-to-back games was some of the absolute prettiest soccer,” Dowiak said.

With the UMass offense controlling the pace and ball possession all game, the Minutewomen’s tough defense held the Bulldogs scoreless.

Bryant’s best scoring opportunity came within seven seconds before halftime, as a handball set the Bulldogs up for a free kick right outside the box. With a kick high to the top-right of the net, UMass goalkeeper Bella Mendoza made a diving save and clipped the ball with her hand to knock it into the crossbar and out of play to end the half.

With a mostly quiet game for Mendoza, a highlight-worthy save kept the net clean and she ended the day with three saves and her fourth shutout of the season.

“[Mendoza’s] experience now is really showing, in her confidence and composure in the way she’s playing and having Ella Curry and Hanna Peric that are, you know… second year being captains, just unbelievable leaders in front of her is also allowing her to grow her confidence and show that in different ways,” Dowiak said. “She really earned that shutout today.”

Each team had 11 shots on goal, but UMass’ efficiency to score on three of the four shots on goal outweighed Bryant’s three shots on goal, which were all saved by Mendoza.

Looking ahead, UMass will take a week-long break before returning home to host in-state rival UMass Lowell on Sunday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. for Senior Day, where the team will honor nine Minutewomen seniors.

“Going to give them some downtime this week and let their bodies recover … we just want to go in feeling healthy, feeling fresh and feeling excited, to step on the field to play together again,” Dowiak said.

Samantha Sands can be reached at [email protected] and followed on Twitter/X @samantha_sands_.