April 16, 2010

BULLDOGS MAKE LATE PUSH BUT CAN'T GET EVEN, FALL TO ROBERT MORRIS, 13-11, FRIDAY AFTERNOON

Boxscore

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team outscored Robert Morris, 8-4, in the second half and cut its deficit to just two goals late in the frame but couldn't overcome a six-goal halftime deficit, falling to the Colonials, 13-11, Friday afternoon at the Bryant Turf Complex.

Bryant (2-13, 2-6 Northeast Conference) got a trio of goals from both sophomore leading scorer Lauren Sheridan (Bethpage, N.Y.) and senior captain Alli Faiola (Billerica, Mass.) and saw a pair off the stick of freshman Madeleine Pickett (Stratham, N.H.) while Robert Morris's Alana Beck led the game with four tallies and six points on the afternoon. Ashley Trombetta added another four for the Colonials (6-8, 4-4), who saw their top three scorers each record hat tricks.

After tight play in the opening 11 minutes led to a 2-2 score that would hold until the 13:31 mark of the first half, Robert Morris took a 5-2 advantage en route to a 9-3 halftime lead over the home Bulldogs, with Faiola and Pickett scoring the only tallies of the session for the Black and Gold.

But out of the break, it took junior Christine Sutherland (Brewster, N.Y.) just eight seconds to connect with Pickett off the draw, and the rookie quickly found real estate beyond Colonial goalie Erica Webb for her second tally of the contest.

Beck would restore the six-goal advantage for the visitors over five minutes later, 10-4, but it would take Bryant just 26 seconds to respond with an unassisted tally to move within five.

Sheridan put the Bulldogs within striking distance at the 21:45 mark with her first of two free position goals in the outing, but RMU would follow with back-to-back scores to double up the home side, 12-6, with just over 16 minutes to play.

But the gap was quickly chopped in half by a trio of Black and Gold tallies over a seven-minute span, with junior Meg Atha (Valley Cottage, N.Y.) and sophomore Kayla Manzi (Agawam, Mass.) scoring consecutive goals 16 seconds apart before Sheridan brought the score to 12-9 in favor of the Colonials with 9:02 still to play.

Trombetta earned her fourth goal of the game and what would turn out to be an insurance tally for Robert Morris with 7:17 showing on the clock to wrap up the Colonials' scoring, and Bryant would make a final push in the last 2:30, scoring twice.

But with all the momentum on their side, the Bulldogs simply ran out of time, falling, 13-11, despite doubling up their opponents in the second stanza.

The Bulldogs edged the Colonials in shots fired, 36-35, ripping off 22 in the second frame alone, and picked up two more ground balls than their opponents, 28-26. Bryant won the draw control battle, 14-12, and connected on 4-of-12 free position attempts.

Sophomore goalie Lauren Filippone (West Babylon, N.Y.) made 11 stops in the game while senior captain Jessica Bolton (Belgrade Lakes, Maine) saved a pair without letting up a score in 3:27 between the pipes for the Black and Gold. Webb turned away 11 for the Colonials, eight of those saves coming in the second half.

Filippone led the Bulldogs and knotted a contest high with six ground balls on the day and caused a trio of turnovers, also tying a game best.

Bryant returns to the field for the final time this season Sunday, April 18, when the Bulldogs host NEC opponent Saint Francis (PA) for 2010 Senior Day and a season-finale matchup at the Bryant Turf Complex at 1 p.m.