March 9, 2010

BULLDOGS SUFFER 13-11 SETBACK TO PRESBYTERIAN TUESDAY AFTERNOON

Boxscore

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Despite three goals from senior Alison Faiola (Billerica, Mass.) and a 13-shot edge in offensive opportunities, the Bryant University women's lacrosse team couldn't pull out a win on the road, falling to Presbyterian College, 13-11, in Clinton, S.C. Tuesday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (1-4) got scoring from six different players and had 10 unassisted goals in the outing to open Spring Break competition, but couldn't maintain momentum in the back-and-forth affair.

Presbyterian (1-6) got up by as many as 5-2 before three-straight goals in a 2:18 span evened the score at 5-5. Consecutive unassisted tallies from junior Meg Atha (Valley Cottage, N.Y.), sophomore Mary Green (Merrick, N.Y.) and Faiola – her second of the game – knotted the score for the second time with 6:02 to play in the first half.

But the Blue Hose would regain a two-goal advantage three more times, with the visitors cutting the lead to one each time, before the Bulldogs came back to tie the score again, this time at 9-9 with an unassisted tally from Antoinette Lombardi (Wallingford, Conn.). The goal came 10 minutes into the final frame and was her second of the contest.

After a Jenna Handshoe goal put the home team back on top, Faiola tied it for the final time, recording her third unassisted goal of the afternoon with 16:48 remaining to move the score to 10-10.

But Presbyterian would notch back-to-back scores from there, leaving Bryant in a 12-10 hole with just under four minutes to play. Sophomore Lauren Sheridan (Bethpage, N.Y.) would close the deficit to one with 1:17 remaining, but Handshoe would put the game away with her third and final goal of the game with just six seconds left on the clock for the 13-11 final.

Katie Prisco scored four of Presbyterian's tallies, while both Prisco and Handshoe would end the day with five points. Christine Sutherland (Brewster, Mass.) also chipped in a goal for the Bulldogs, her first of the year, while Green recorded the team's only assist of the day. Faiola's seven shots were a game high while a trio of Bulldogs picked up a contest-best six ground balls.

The Bulldogs never led in the affair, despite outshooting the home team, 39-26, including posting an 18-9 shot advantage in the second session. Presbyterian goalie Erin McBurnette was impressive between the pipes, recording 20 saves for the Blue Hose, 10 in each frame. Bryant goalies Lauren Filippone (West Babylon, N.Y.) and Jessica Bolton (Belgrade Lakes, Maine) split time in goal for the visitors, recording eight and one stop, respectively.

The Bulldogs return to action Saturday morning when they take on Quinnipiac in an 11 a.m. Northeast Conference road matchup.