November 4, 2007  

BRYANT FALLS TO SAINT ROSE ON LATE GOAL IN CONFERENCE FINALS, 2-1

 Boxscore

SENIOR TRICIA SPADA

ALBANY, NY - It was the Battle of the Unbeatens Sunday afternoon, as undefeated No. 1 Saint Rose hosted undefeated No. 2 Bryant University in the 2007 Northeast-10 Conference Championship. And while the game was tied 1-1 for more than 72 minutes, Saint Rose notched the game-winner with just 3:36 to play, downing Bryant, 2-1.

The teams had met once before - a 2-2 tie back on Oct. 3 in Smithfield, RI. Each boasts a top-10 national ranking - the Golden Knights in at No. 3, with the Bulldogs not far behind at No. 8. Both entered Sunday's showdown with undefeated records and they sit at No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, in the latest NCAA New England Regional Poll.

And just over 14 minutes into the contest, Saint Rose drew first blood when the Bulldogs were unable to clear a ball off a Saint Rose corner kick. Catching Bryant junior goalkeeper Jessica Clark (Barnstable, Mass.) too far off her line, Saint Rose's Sami Brown lofted a ball over the heads of the Bulldog defense and Clark for the early 1-0 lead.

But it wouldn't be long till the Bulldogs erased the deficit. Just 54 seconds later, senior Tricia Spada (Dedham, Mass.) evened the score with her ninth goal of the year, sending a shot from the top of the 18-yard box into the upper left corner past Saint Rose goalkeeper Lauren Steinberg.

The teams took the 1-1 tie into halftime, but the Golden Knights nearly notched the gamewinner twice early in the second frame - first when Brown found post just five minutes in, and again when Ashley McGuire nearly beat Clark off her line again, lofting a ball that hit off the crossbar in the 56th minute.

But with just 3:36 left in regulation, Saint Rose finally made good on its offensive threats. Off a corner kick from Brown, freshman Amanda Deck connected with senior Lindsay Bove, who volleyed the gamewinner past Clark from the near post for a 2-1 score that would stick. It was the Bulldogs' first loss of the season.

After the final whistle, the league announced the 2007 Northeast-10 All-Conference teams and individual accolades. The Bulldogs were represented well on every team, with Spada and junior Danielle Malta (Bethel, Conn.) earning First-Team All-Conference honors, Amy Orzechowski (Milford, Conn.) being named to the All-Conference Second Team, and sophomores Holly Tyser (Somers, Conn.) and Alex DiPippo (Shelton, Conn.) garnering Third-Team All-Conference accolades.

 Malta was also named 2007 Defender of the Year for her solid play as the anchor of the Bryant defense, while eighth-year head coach Chris Flint earned Coach of the Year honors.

Both Saint Rose and Bryant are expected to receive invitations to the NCAA Division tournament slated to begin Friday, November 9. The NCAA will announce the tournament field in Monday's selection show at 5 p.m. Check back to http://www.bryantbulldogs.com/ for details.