#2 Bryant takes on #3 QU in NEC Semi

#2 BULLDOGS BATTLE #3 QUINNIPIAC IN NEC SEMIFINAL FRIDAY NIGHT (8:30 p.m.)

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The second-seeded Bryant University men's lacrosse team enters this weekend's Northeast Conference Tournament in search of the school's first-ever Division I playoff victory, as the Bulldogs take on three-seed Quinnipiac Friday night at 8:30 p.m. in a semifinal matchup at Joe Walton Stadium on the campus of top-seeded Robert Morris University.

The Bulldogs (12-4, 4-1 NEC) won the regular-season tilt against the Bobcats (3-10, 2-3) in Hamden, Conn., back on April 14 by a 9-5 margin on the back of three goals from second-line middie and NEC All-Rookie Team selection Brian Schlansker (Glenville, N.Y.), two goals from starting attack Dan Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y.) and a 12-of-18 performance from 2012 NEC Rookie of the Year Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.).

Bryant leads the all-time series between these two squads, 2-1, earning both wins away from home with two of the three contests decided by a single goal. This is the second conference tournament berth in as many chances for the Black and Gold, who were the four seed last season in the inaugural NEC Tournament.

As one of just two Bryant teams eligible for postseason play until the school's four-year transition to full Division I membership comes to an end (at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season), the Bulldogs look to make history with a win in the NEC Semifinal.

But to etch their names into the Bryant history books, the Bulldogs will have to get past a Bobcat side that is full of young talent and led by the defense of all-conference first team choice Chris Coppolecchia, who boasts a league-best 43 caused turnovers with 61 ground balls on the year.

A pair of NEC All-Rookie picks pace Quinnipiac's offense, as Michael Sagl has posted 31 points off 16 goals and 15 assists and Matt Diehl has recorded 28 points off 11 scores and a team-best 17 helpers.

Dylan Webster backs the pair up and is the primary faceoff man for the Bobcats with a 47.8 percent success rate (103-of-190). He leads the team with 22 tallies in 2012 and has 24 total points. The trio headlines six double-digit goal scorers and seven double-figure point getters on the Bobcat sideline, ranks which include another all-conference rookie team pick in midfielder Pat Corcoran (10g, 15a).

"I don't think we've played a team this year that has started more freshmen," said Bryant head coach Mike Pressler, "but each and every one of them is a quality player. And for Quinnipiac, this is game number 14, and these freshmen are now sophomores in so many ways."

Bryant's offensive ranks will have to break through a Bobcat defense led by Coppolecchia and another frosh standout in all-rookie choice Greg Pendergast (21 GB, 5 CT) and then find their way past rookie netminder Dylan Torey, who has 13 starts and a 12.06 goals against average entering Friday's contest.

The Bulldogs counter with their own highly regarded defense, headlined by senior goalie and NEC Defensive Player of the Year Jameson Love (Darien, Conn.). Love, a four-year starter between the pipes, is Bryant's all-time leader in career saves and tops the conference in both goals against average (7.68) and save percentage (.608). He is just a single stop shy of tying the program's single-season saves record as well, with 191 on the year so far.

Junior defenseman Glenn Maiorano (Easton, Conn.) joins Love on the All-NEC First Team and paces his side with 30 caused turnovers. He adds 54 ground balls for the Black and Gold, while Love has 57 ground balls and 14 forced giveaways.

Massa leads the league circuit in both ground balls (125; 7.81 per game) and faceoff winning percentage (.628) in 2012, where he ranks third and fourth in the nation, respectively, and the frosh phenom looks to continue his all-conference first-team-caliber season against the Bobcats.

Another pair of NEC First Team picks in junior captain Peter McMahon (Wilton, Conn.) and sophomore midfielder Colin Dunster (Cos Cob, Conn.) front the Black and Gold offense with 44 and 43 points, respectively, while the latter leads the team with 31 scores on the season. Tewaaraton Award nominee and first team defender Mason Poli (Downingtown, Pa.) also sparks the offense out of the longpole ranks, having scored an impressive 19 goals with 25 points this year.

Senior attack Travis Harrington (Vestal, N.Y.) represents the team's third 20-goal scorer and has 27 points after breaking out over the second half of the season. Harrington has recorded 22 of his 27 points in the final eight games of the regular season, netting 16 of his 20 tallies since March 31.

"We played Quinnipiac at their place just three weeks ago," said Pressler. "The second time around, you have a handle on their personnel, on how they've tried to play you, and that goes both ways. In my experience, when you get to a 'final four' type of setting, the players have heard it all already. You run out of things to say to them, and you have to rely on their experience, their ability to be excited to play and on them having the poise to demonstrate all that on the big stage in a championship-type atmosphere."

Friday's game marks the second semifinal of the night after top-seeded Robert Morris takes on fourth-ranked Mount St. Mary's at 5:30 p.m. The winners of Friday's semifinal matchups will faceoff Sunday at 1 p.m. in the NEC Championship bout.

Can't make it to the game? Follow along on Twitter @BryantGameday and @NECMLax for live in-game updates. The 2012 NEC Tournament will also be streamed LIVE online at no cost at NortheastConference.TV.