Bulldogs look for key win over PC in Ocean State Cup opener Tuesday at home (7 p.m.)

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's lacrosse team looks to snap a four-game losing streak Tuesday, as the Bulldogs return home to host intrastate rival Providence College at the Bryant Turf Complex in the opening contest of the 2015 Ocean State Cup (7 p.m.).

The Bulldogs (1-6) will look to awaken an offense that has been stagnant at times in the early season and averages fewer than eight goals per game through the first seven contests. And while the Friars (4-3) have also struggled to get consistent scoring – averaging a slightly better 8.43 goals per outing – they enter Tuesday's contest having won two of their last three contests with wins over local opponents Vermont (12-9), Boston U. (7-4), Sacred Heart (11-8) and UMass Lowell (11-6) on the year.

"This is a much improved PC team," said Bryant head coach Mike Pressler. "They are twice the team they were a year ago. They have great balance at all positions, and this is absolutely going to be a dogfight for us tonight."

Providence boasts a trio of double-digit point getters in leading scorer Will Mazzone (19), Buck McClure (16) and Greg Fitzmaurice (12), with Mazzone and Fitzmaurice pacing the offense with 11 goals apiece.

The real story of the Friars' early success, however, has been a defense anchored by standout goalie Peter Badgley, who ranks in the nation's top-10 in both saves per game and save percentage. The senior netminder averages 14.71 stops each time out, a number good for second in the country, while boasting a .606 save percentage, good for sixth overall. Badgley is also the backbone of the Friars' eighth-ranked man-down defense (.742).

Badgley's Bulldog counterpart, junior goalie Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.), will look to continue his upward trend between the pipes after posting back-to-back double-digit save outings despite one-goal losses at then-No. 2 North Carolina (15 saves) and at Hobart in overtime (12). He enters the tilt averaging 9.57 saves per game with a .500 save percentage and 9.84 goals against average.

"He's playing like a senior," said Pressler of Badgley." He's very, very athletic, and the Friars have been very consistent at that position. Fortunately for us, for the last two games in a row, Gunnar has been Gunnar, so he's getting back to his standard of excellence that we've seen over the years."

Sophomore defenseman Jimmy Cunningham leads the Friars with 28 ground balls, as PC ranks inside the nation's top-20 in both ground balls per game (31.00) and caused turnovers per game (7.86), a category led by 1.29 per outing from Jarrod Neumann.

The Friars have faced off by committee in 2015, seeing five different players at the X. Fifth-year senior Cole McCormack has led the bunch, going 38-of-75 (.507) with 19 ground balls in six appearances.

The Bulldogs will counter with senior faceoff specialist Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.), who ranks 14th in the nation at the X at 60 percent while taking every draw for the Black and Gold this season (89-148). He adds eight ground balls per contest to that number, good for eighth nationally.

But where Bryant will really need production is at the top, beginning with its starting attack trio of junior Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.), sophomore Tucker James (Essex Fells, N.J.) and rookie Cam Ziegler (Carlsbad, Calif.). The line combines for 46 of the team's 82 points, paced by 12 goals apiece from Morrell and James.

Bryant's starting midfield unit will also be looked toward to get in the on the scoring action, as that trio – junior Collins Gantz (Denver, Colo.), freshman Tom Kennedy (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and sophomore Ryan Sharpe (Poway, Calif.) – has found the back of the net just 16 times in seven contests.

"Our downfall has been our lack of ability to put the ball in the goal consistently," said Pressler. "We are certainly playing well enough on defense and facing off well enough to win. It's tough to be consistent when your offense has been inconsistent."

Tuesday's contest can be seen live online at NECFrontRow.com.