Bulldogs announce 2017 field hockey schedule
SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- First-year head coach Joppe de Vries and the Bryant University field hockey staff announced the Bulldogs' 2017 slate on Thursday, totaling 19 games with opponents from six different conferences.
The Bulldogs face opponents from the Patriot League, Colonial Athletic Conference, America East, Ivy League, Big East, in addition to its league games in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference. Bryant will play all of its home games at Goldberger Family Field on the Brown University campus in Providence.
The Black and Gold open the regular season with a weekend tournament at Boston University. Bryant will face the Terriers for the first time ever on Aug. 25 at 6:30 p.m., before either facing New Hampshire or Northeastern in the championship or third-place game on Sunday.
The Bulldogs continue their five-game road trip, traveling to face Maine on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at 3 p.m. The Black and Gold are winless against the Black Bears, falling most recently in last year's matchup to then-No. 20 Maine, 2-0, in Orono.
To start September, Bryant faces in-state foes Brown (Sept. 1) and Providence (Sept. 3). The Bulldogs will play both games on Brown's campus, wearing their away jerseys. PC holds a 1-0 Division I series edge over the Bulldogs after winning last season, 1-0, off a goal in the 63rd minute. The Black and Gold faced a similar fate against Brown, falling, 1-0 after surrendering a first-half goal by the Bears.
On Friday, Sept. 8, Bryant hosts California in its first home game of the regular season in Providence. The Bulldogs faced Cal in 2015, during its three-game, California tour, and were dealt a 7-2 loss. The Golden Bears, members of the America East, defeated Maine, 3-2, in the confernece quarterfinals before suffering a 2-0 defeat to Stanford in the semis.
The Bulldogs follow with a road game at Dartmouth on Sunday, Sept. 10. Last year, the Big Green defeated the Bulldogs in dramatic fashion, winning, 2-1. Then-freshman Floor van Dommelen (Berg en Dal, Netherlands) gave the Black and Gold a 1-0 edge in the first half. Dartmouth's Carmen Braceras found the equalizer in the 65th minute, before the game went into a shootout after two scoreless overtimes. Dartmouth eventually won the shootout, 3-2.
Bryant hosts UC Davis at Brown on Friday, Sept. 15 at 2 p.m. The Black and Gold last clashed with the Aggies in 2015, losing, 3-2, in overtime, which helped UC Davis stay unbeaten against the Bulldogs in the all-time series between the two squads.
That Sunday, Sept. 17, Columbia hosts Bryant at 1 p.m. The Lions have defeated the Bulldogs in each of the past two seasons.
The Bulldogs follow with a three-game home stand, hosting Vermont on Friday, Sept. 22, Colgate on the 24th and Rider on the 29th. In 2016, the Catamounts handed the Bulldogs a 4-2 loss. The Bulldogs lead the Raiders, 6-2, in the all-time head to head matchup. Colgate defeated the Bulldogs in overtime last season, but the Black and Gold took a commanding lead of the series after winning the matchup in six-straight seasons (2008-2013). The location of this year's home contest is still to be determined.
Coming off their second appearance in the MAAC Tournament, the Black and Gold begin league play against Rider on the following Friday, Sept. 29, at 4 p.m. Last year's rainy-day game in New Jersey gave way to a 2-1 decision in the Broncs' favor.
The Bulldogs take a week off of league play to battle Drexel on Oct. 1 and Yale on the road two days later. The Black and Gold's run-in with the Dragons will mark the first meeting between the schools. The Dragons went 3-3 in the CAA last season, falling to eventual NCAA champion Delaware in the conference semifinals. Bryant visits Yale two days later with redemption in mind after last season's 2-1 overtime loss.
On Friday, Oct. 13, the visiting Bulldogs return to league play, taking on last year's MAAC runner-up Fairfield. After splitting games last season, the Stags ended the Bulldogs' playoff run with a 3-2 overtime victory. The Black and Gold first defeated Fairfield in Providence after then-sophomore Emily Perryman (Lebanon, N.H.) scored her second-career game-winning goal in extra time. The No. 3 Bulldogs met No. 2 Fairfield in the MAAC Semifinals, where the Stags got the taste of victory this time, securing their place in the conference finals after scoring within two minutes of overtime.
The Black and Gold host Sacred Heart in the capital on Oct. 15 at 4 p.m. The Bulldogs will look to repeat last season's 5-2 victory over SHU. The victory helped the Bulldogs string together back-to-back wins for the first time since September 2014. Perryman put two in the back of the cage, while Richardson scored her first of the season. Richardson added three assists in the contest, including her dish to then-freshman Freya Ward (Haywards Heath, England), who punched in the Bulldogs' fifth and final goal.
The following week, Bryant heads to Brooklyn to face the Blackbirds of LIU on Sat., Oct. 21 at noon. The 2017 season marks LIU Brooklyn's second year in the MAAC. Last year, the Black and Gold shutout the Blackbirds, 6-0, under the lights in Smithfield which marked Bryant's first win of the season. The game gave way to a number of firsts, including first-career goals by Haley Wood (Brownsville, Vt.) and Grace Farrell (Milford, Pa.) and the first goals of the year for Perryman, Victoria Newbill (Wilton, Maine) and Elena Borovskis.
Bryant faces defending MAAC Champion Monmouth on Oct. 27 at 4 p.m. in its final home game of the regular season. The Hawks flew past No. 4 Rider and No. 2 Fairfield, each by a score of 3-2, in the MAAC Tournament. The MAAC Champions drew UMass in the play-in round of the NCAA Tournament, falling 4-3 to the Minutewomen after surrendering a goal in the 67th minute.
The Bulldogs wrap up their regular season with a road game against Siena. The Bulldogs lead the Saints, 8-1, in the Division I series record. After winning seven-straight meetings, the Black and Gold dropped just one game to Siena in 2015, losing 4-3 in overtime. Last season, the Bulldogs bounced back to handle the Saints, 5-1, on senior day. Ward helped propel the Bulldogs to victory off a five-point performance, including two goals and one assist. Bryant's dominant win helped the team secure a spot in the MAAC Tournament for the first time since 2013.
This year's MAAC Tournament will begin on Nov. 3 at the venue of the top-seeded team. In last year's conference postseason, No. 3 Bryant fell, 3-2, in overtime to No. 2 Fairfield. Despite the Bulldogs tying the game and then taking the lead, the Stags scored with 1:41 to go in regulation, before scoring the game-winner in the 72nd minute.