Bulldogs fall in overtime to Boston University, 8-7

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Seniors Cam Ziegler (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Tom Kennedy (Farmingdale, N.Y.) scored two goals each, but the Bryant University men's lacrosse team dropped an 8-7 overtime decision to Boston University Tuesday night at the Bryant Track & Turf Complex.

Ziegler scored two goals and added two assists, while Kennedy chipped in two goals and an assist. Graduate student Kenny Massa (Huntington, N.Y.) was 15-of-19 on face-offs and bettered his season percentage to .675.

GAME INFORMATION
Boston University 8, Bryant 7 (OT)
Records: Bryant (2-3, 0-0 NEC), Boston University (3-2, 0-1 PL)
Location: Bryant Track & Turf Complex (Smithfield, R.I.)

COACH PRESSLER'S COMMENTS

"We dominate the face-off the entire game and then lose the biggest face-off of the game and give up a soft goal in overtime on a mental mistake by one of our guys on defense. It's so disappointing, because we played so hard for 60 minutes, and then just didn't finish the game in overtime. That's the most disappointing thing. We didn't finish the game on that last face-off in overtime and certainly didn't finish the game at the defensive end."

"At the end of the game, we had the ball on offense and had a couple cracks to win it. We had our opportunities that unfortunately didn't go our way."

"I loved our energy tonight. We had a lot of momentum carrying over from the Hartford win. Our guys were electric tonight and all over the place. I thought we really battled physically. Mentally, we made some blunders on the clear that are uncharacteristic of us. We failed more clears today than we had in our first four games of the season. That's on us. At the end of the day, when you get these one and two-goal games, you have to make the plays down the stretch."

KEY MOMENTS

• The largest lead of the game for either team was a two-goal advantage for the Bulldogs in the third quarter, as Ziegler assisted goals by senior Tommy Vailas (Bedford, N.H.) and sophomore Trevor Weingarten (Allendale, N.J.) to give Bryant a 6-4 advantage.
• A goal by BU's John MacLean tied the game with 2:07 to go, and MacLean's fourth goal of the night won it 27 seconds into overtime.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bryant recorded the first goal of the night on a first-quarter tally by redshirt-sophomore Jake Buonaiuto (Miller Place, N.Y.) on a feed from Kennedy to give Bryant a 1-0 advantage with 12:10 to go in the first quarter.
• The Terriers would score the next two to take their only lead in regulation before Ziegler responded with his first goal of the night to tie the game 2-2 heading to the second quarter.
• Kennedy would score twice in the second quarter to bookend BU's lone tally of the frame, as Kennedy's second goal gave Bryant a 4-3 lead with 5:13 to go in the second quarter. The one-goal advantage would hold up until halftime.
• BU tied the game 4-4 with 7:50 to go in the third quarter before goals from Vailas and Weingarten gave Bryant its largest lead of the night.
• The Terriers cut the deficit to 6-5 with 13 seconds remaining in the third quarter and tied it 6-6 with 10:47 to go in the game.
• Ziegler would put Bryant back on top with 3:28 to go in regulation on a goal from Buonaiuto, giving the Bulldogs a 7-6 lead.
• BU tied the game with 2:07 to go in regulation, won the opening face-off of overtime, and after a timeout, MacLean scored the game-winner.

STATS

• Ziegler recorded two goals, two assists, and a career-high-tying four ground balls.
• Kennedy notched two goals and an assist along with three ground balls and a caused turnover.
• Buonaiuto tallied a goal, an assist, two caused turnovers and a ground ball. The two caused turnovers were a career-high.
• Vailas and Weingarten each added a goal, while Vailas chipped in a ground ball and a caused turnover.
• Sophomore Zach Coffey (West Newbury, Mass.) recorded two ground balls and two caused turnovers.
• Sophomore Jake Fiske (Poway, Calif.) collected three ground balls and a caused turnover.
• Massa was 15-of-19 on face-offs with eight ground balls.
• Bryant outshot BU, 35-29.

GAME NOTES

• Bryant drops to 0-2 all-time against Boston University.
• The Bulldogs fall to 6-16 all-time against Patriot League members and 0-2 this season.
• Kennedy's three-point night brought him within one of 100 for his Bulldog career.

UP NEXT
Bryant continues its three-game homestand Saturday when No. 11 Yale visits the Bryant Track & Turf Complex. The 1 p.m. start can be seen on NEC Front Row.

Bryant University Athletics has announced the Spring Sports Pass for the upcoming spring season. The Spring Sports Pass allows admission to all home men's and women's lacrosse, baseball and softball events for just $50. The Spring Sports Pass can be purchased by clicking HERE.

Follow Bryant University men's lacrosse on Twitter and Instagram to get an inside look at the program.