#16/19 Bryant hosts Siena in NCAA Play-In TODAY at 4 p.m. in Bulldog Stadium

GAME NOTES

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With a spot in the NCAA tournament first round on the line, the No. 16/19 Bryant University men's lacrosse team hosts its first-ever NCAA home game Wednesday afternoon, taking on MAAC Champion Siena College at Bulldog Stadium at 4:00 p.m.

The Bulldogs (14-4), who won the Northeast Conference with a 10-4 victory over Hobart College Saturday afternoon, make their second-consecutive NCAA tournament appearance after winning a third-straight NEC Tournament crown. The Saints (11-5) enter Smithfield off an 11-7 victory over Marist in their own conference title bout and are looking for their first NCAA tournament win.

"This is another great first for our team," said Bryant head coach Mike Pressler. "To get back to the NCAA tournament with a home game is just another step forward for our program and the Division I model."

Siena presents a formidable opponent for the Black and Gold, paced by the nation's sixth-ranked point getter in redshirt-junior attack Richie Hurley. Hurley enters the contest averaging 4.88 points per outing, also ranking seventh in the nation in assists per game with 2.75. His 78 points more than double the next highest scorer on the Saints roster and are a product of 34 goals and an impressive 44 assists.

Alongside him, senior Colin Clive adds 28 goals (33 points), and Jordan Barlow completes the line with 23 tallies and 30 points.

"Siena is very similar to us," said Pressler. "Their first six on offense are outstanding, they faceoff very well, they are very good in the goal, and they have some athletic defensemen.

"No. 12 [Hurley] and No. 14 [Clive] in particular are a great duo," he added. "Hurley is a great, great feeder, Clive is a great lefty finisher, and they've been a very, very accomplished duo this entire season."

The Saints also boast a terrific first midfield line led by Conor Prunty (25 goals, 9 assists), with Kyle Curry (28 points) and Nate Barry (27 points) rounding of Siena's top six as well as the squad's double-figure scorers.

Siena will also challenge the Bulldogs in their top areas of strength – down the middle of the field. That will start with faceoff specialist Casey Dowd, who will be arguably the toughest matchup yet for junior All-American and two-time NEC Player of the Year Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.). Ranked 15th in the nation, Dowd is just slightly under 60 percent on the season from the X (220-of-371) and averages nine ground balls per game, good for eighth on the Division I circuit.

Massa boasts nation-leading numbers in both categories with a .725 faceoff winning percentage while averaging 11.17 ground balls per contest. He topped the 200-ground ball mark for the second-consecutive season in 2014.

"Dowd is a very accomplished faceoff guy with a unique style to him," said Pressler. "Kevin is going to have a great challenge at the faceoff X."

The Bulldogs' offense will also have to get past Tommy Cordts between the pipes. The redshirt-sophomore ranks in the top 30 in both goals against average (9.79) and save percentage (.527) and sits 18th overall with 10.81 saves per game.

For the Bulldogs, sophomore goalie and NEC Defensive Player of the Year Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.) will do his best to keep Siena's top-30 offense off the board and boasts national top-10 numbers in all three major statistics. Waldt enters the NCAA play-in with a .609 save percentage (fourth), a 7.40 goals against average (fifth) and 11.47 saves per contest, good for eighth in the country.

And while the Bulldogs will rely on their NCAA experience in the national tournament opener, one intangible the Saints will rely on is their success on the road throughout the 2014 campaign. Siena leads the nation in road wins this season, earning seven victories away from home this spring.

"Of their 11 wins, seven have been on the road," said Pressler. "That says a lot about Siena's maturity."

Bryant enters the NCAA tournament 3-1 against ranked opponents in 2014 and is 3-0 against other teams in tournament field. Siena is receiving votes in both national polls this week. The winner of Wednesday's game between Bryant and Siena will advance to take on second-seeded Syracuse in the Carrier Dome Sunday night (7:30 p.m.). Wednesday's game can be seen live and free of charge on NECFrontRow.com.