SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team plays its final road game of the regular season and looks to remain in contention for the right to host the Northeast Conference Tournament when it takes on LIU Brooklyn on Friday at 4:00 p.m.
The Bulldogs (10-4, 4-1 NEC) and Blackbirds (4-11, 0-5) will meet for the eighth time, with this matchups visitors holding a commanding 6-1 edge in the series. The Bulldogs have been an offensive juggernaut against LIU Brooklyn over the years, scoring no fewer than 16 goals in each encounter and as many as 20 goals, which was, ironically enough, their only loss of the series back in 2008 (22-20).
The Blackbirds have yet to win a league tilt this season, but it is not because of their offense. They lead the NEC and sit 24th in the nation with 12.00 goals per game, hold the top free-position percentage in the country (58.5) and sit second in the league in draw controls per game (11.8), points per game (16.07) and ground balls per game (16.93).
The LIU Brooklyn offensive fire power derives from junior midfielder Jenn Peters with a league-best 57 points. Peters' 51 goals rank ninth in the nation and she leads the country with a 73.7 free-position percentage. Sitting right behind Peters is junior attack Mary McQueen with the second-most goals in the NEC (33). The reigning All-NEC First and Second Team selections, respectively, are two of seven double-digit point getters and five 20+ point producers on the Blackbirds. Sophomore mid Carli Robinson (20g, 6a), junior mid Tori Shinkowitz (17g, 6a) and freshman middie Kathryn Harvey (14g, 8a) have all been key contributors to the Blackbirds' high-powered attack.
Peters has been terrific against the Bulldogs in her two career games with five goals and a pair of assists. McQueen has caged three goals and Shinkowitz has netted a pair. Sophomore attack Sierra O'Connor has just four goals and four assists on the season, but in her lone game against Bryant a year ago, she led the Blackbirds with five points on three scores and two assists.
Defensively, the Bulldogs will rely on the play of sophomore goalie Samantha Santeramo (Wantagh, N.Y.) to try and shut down the LIU offense. Bryant now has the top scoring defense in the NEC (9.21) and it has achieved that ranking thanks to Santeramo's league-leading save percentage (54.7) and goals-against average (7.21). Santeramo ranks second and 10th nationally in the two categories, respectively, following Bryant's 13-4 victory over Central Connecticut State University on April 22.
The defense in front of Santeramo will also look to provide assistance, as they caused 14 Blackbird turnovers in last season's matchup. Junior defenders Dori Hellar (Duxbury, Mass.) and Molly Martin (Island Park, N.Y.) along with sophomore defender Laura Fullam (Massapequa, N.Y.) each caused two turnovers in the 2015 meeting.
The Blackbirds record this season can be blamed on their defensive struggles, allowing 12.47 goals per game to rank seventh in the NEC. They have rotated their goalies, very similar to the way the Bulldogs have utilized both Santeramo and Daja Andrews (Lumberton, N.J.). Senior Alexis Maldonado has appeared in 12 games and made six starts, turning away 51 shots and sporting a 13.89 goals-against average. Freshman Virginia Gibbons has been the more successful of the two netminders, as she owns an 11.75 goals-against average, a 43.2 save percentage and 82 saves in 14 appearances (9 starts).
The Blackbird defense will attempt to hold the Bulldogs below the 16-goal mark for the first time in the series, but will need to stop a plethora of goal-scoring threats. Freshman sensation Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) has been terrific all season, and the reigning NEC Rookie of the Week is coming off of her fourth game with at least three goals over the last six outings. Junior mid Shannon Sullivan (Farmingdale, N.Y.) has registered two goals in consecutive games and has tallied multiple points in five-straight contests. Frosh mid Emma Ahlrichs (Zionsville, Ind.) netted a pair of goals in the win over the Blue Devils, and she has caged multiple goals in two of the last three games. Freshman Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) also scored a pair in the win over CCSU, and she has scored in three-straight games with two of those contests being two-goal performances.
The Bulldogs have gotten immense balance from their offense of late, but it is the veterans on this team that have led them against the Blackbirds. Senior attack Lauren Descalzo (Hauppauge, N.Y) has tallied nine goals and one assist in three matchups against LIU Brooklyn. Fellow classmate and attack Nicole Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) has scored two goals and handed out five helpers while winning seven draw controls, and junior mid Meaghan Brennan (Glen Head, N.Y.) fired in three goals against the Blackbirds in 2015.
The Bulldogs remain tied for first place in the NEC with two games to play, as Robert Morris and Wagner also sit at 4-1 in the league. The Colonials, who hold the tiebreaker over Bryant, and the Seahawks play each other on Friday. Amazingly, no team has yet to secure a spot in the conference tournament, set to be on Friday, May 6.
Friday's battle can be seen on NECFrontRow.com and followed along via livestats on LIUAthletics.com.
