#12/11 Bulldogs back to NEC action, take on SHU Wednesday on road (7p)

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The No. 12/11 Bryant University men's lacrosse team returns to Northeast Conference action and will play its third game in nine days Wednesday when the Bulldogs visit Sacred Heart for a 7:00 p.m. league matchup.

The Bulldogs (8-2, 1-0 NEC) enter the contest with the nation's third-longest winning streak at six-straight games, while the Pioneers (2-6, 1-0) stunned perennial power Robert Morris, 9-7, Saturday afternoon in Moon Township, Pa., to start their league slate off with a victory.

"That was an impressive win for the Pioneers," said Bryant head coach Mike Pressler. "Through eight games this season, Sacred Heart has been in every one of them, all the way to the end. They are a veteran group on offense, they face off well, and defensively, they have some all-conference-type players. Coach Basti has done a great job in his first year, and we are prepared for a very competitive, hard-fought NEC game Wednesday night."

Sacred Heart spread its scoring around against the Colonials, with seven players getting on the board. Leading scorer Cody Marquis (23 points) and top rookie threat Brian Masi (15 points) led the way with two goals apiece. On the season, the Pioneers have posted similar offensive numbers as the Bulldogs, boasting a pair of 20-point scorers in Marquis (13g, 10a) and fellow senior Alex Miller (12g, 10a) and five 10-goal scorers in Marquis, Miller, Alex Dodge (13), Mike Mawdsley (13) and Masi.

"Their first six in the box offensively are outstanding," said Pressler. "They have three senior attackmen who have been three- and four-year starters and a first midfield that is as good as anybody in the conference."

Like the Black and Gold, the Pioneers have also been anchored by strong play in goal, only Sacred Heart has found success in a pair of upperclassmen netminders. Junior goalie Jon Flood and senior counterpart Ryan Hughes have both seen over 200 minutes between the pipes in 2014, combining to average 12.88 saves per game, good for ninth best in the nation. Individually, both post a save percentage better than 50 percent, led by Flood's .562 mark. With a 1-1 record and five starts (210 minutes), Flood has recorded a goals against average of 10.00 entering Wednesday's matchup, while Hughes has allowed 12.22 per outing in six appearances and three starts (270 minutes).

Bryant counters in goal with sophomore Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.), who ranks in the nation's top 10 in save percentage, saves per game and goals against average and is in the midst of a stellar second season as the Bulldogs' last line of defense.

Offensively, the Black and Gold are led by standout rookie Tucker James (Essex Fells, N.J.), who is one of three 20-point scorers this season. Sophomore attack Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.) and senior midfielder Alex Zomerfeld (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) join him in that category with 21 and 20 points, respectively, while Bryant boasts five 10-goal scorers and seven double-digit point getters in 2014.

Among those double-figure scorers is redshirt-freshman longpole and NEC Rookie of the Week Cody O'Donnell (Smithfield, R.I.), who scored a trio of goals for the Black and Gold in two wins last week and has seven tallies with three assists so far this spring. O'Donnell is equally strong on defense and in transition and has 15 ground balls and four caused turnovers on the year.

The Bulldogs jump into the meat of their Northeast Conference slate Wednesday in a game that marks the first of four-straight league contests, including a pair this week alone with Bryant taking on Saint Joe's on the road at the end of the week (Saturday at 2 p.m.).

"Without question, this will be our toughest week of the season, and we are all well aware of that fact," said Pressler. "We have two tough conference road games back-to-back and six games left on our schedule, with five of them in conference, so where we end up in May will be determined by how we do in April."