Bryant defeated by No. 11 Yale, 11-8

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Seniors Cam Ziegler (Carlsbad, Calif.) and Tom Kennedy (Farmingdale, N.Y.) had three points each and junior Kevin Beimfohr (Mountain Lakes, N.J.) made a career-high 11 saves, but a strong start to the fourth quarter pushed No. 11 Yale past the Bryant University men's lacrosse team, 11-8, Saturday at the Bryant Track & Turf Complex.

Ziegler scored two goals and added an assist, while Kennedy chipped in a goal and two assists. Graduate student Kenny Massa (Huntington, N.Y.) was 13-of-22 on face-offs and had the upper hand at the X for the fifth time in six games.

GAME INFORMATION
No. 11 Yale 11, Bryant 8
Records: Bryant (2-4, 0-0 NEC), Yale (3-1, 0-0 Ivy)
Location: Bryant Track & Turf Complex (Smithfield, R.I.)

COACH PRESSLER'S COMMENTS
"Once again, I was really pleased with how hard we played, how competitively we played and how aggressively we played. For the fourth straight game, it's a one-goal game in the fourth quarter. It comes down to who makes the plays positively and who makes the plays negatively to give the other team opportunities. I thought we had some mental lapses and blunders when it was 7-6 that led to that spurt that made it 9-6. That's when the game was decided. Credit Yale for getting it done, but a lot of it's on us too."

"Kenny Massa has been so consistent at the face-off X. Anthony Johnson was tremendous against Ben Reeves. Reeves gets four goals but not when AJ's playing him. Kevin Beimfohr had his best day as a Bulldog. He saved 50 percent and was terrific in igniting the break and getting the ball out."

KEY MOMENT

• Bryant tied the game 6-6 with 3:17 to go in the third quarter on a Ziegler goal, but Yale responded with the next four goals to grab its largest lead of the day at 10-6.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The game was scoreless for nearly 13 minutes before the teams scored their first goals seven seconds apart. Yale got on the board with 2:09 to go in the first quarter before the ensuing face-off was corralled by Kennedy, who tied the game.
• Redshirt-sophomore Jake Buonaiuto (Miller Place, N.Y.) would give Bryant its lone lead of the afternoon at 2-1 with 9:56 to go in the second quarter before three straight Yale goals put the visitors up 4-2 with 3:18 remaining before the half.
• Freshman Marc O'Rourke (Hingham, Mass.) answered prior to the half, as the freshman bounced one past the Yale goalie to make it a 4-3 contest with 2:59 to go in the second quarter. The 4-3 margin would hold up until halftime.
• Junior Matt Heldberg (Kings Park, N.Y.) tied the game 4-4 with 10:56 remaining in the third quarter off the first assist of the year from junior Kevin Quigley (Fairfax Station, Va.).
• Yale would answer to retake the lead, as the two groups of Bulldogs traded tallies back and forth for the entirety of the quarter. Sophomore Trevor Weingarten (Allendale, N.J.) and Ziegler scored in the frame for the Black and Gold, with Ziegler's score assisted by senior Kyle Cornell (Darien, Conn.), who made his season debut Saturday.
• Yale responded to the Ziegler goal with four straight, as the Elis grabbed one prior to the end of the third quarter and three in a row to open the final stanza for their largest lead of the afternoon at 10-6 with 9:32 to go.
• Goals from O'Rourke and Kennedy got Bryant back within 10-8 with 5:44 to go before Yale scored a late goal on an empty net for the final 11-8 margin.

STATS

• Ziegler recorded two goals, one assist and two ground balls.
• Kennedy notched one goal, two assists and two ground balls.
• O'Rourke scored two goals and collected two ground balls.
• Buonaiuto, Heldberg and Weingarten added a goal each.
• Senior Anthony Johnson (Fairfield, Conn.) picked up two ground balls and two caused turnovers.
• Graduate student Chas South (Ridgefield, Conn.) and senior Jake Chandler (Charlotte, N.C.) each collected three ground balls and a caused turnover.
• Beimfohr recorded a career-high 11 saves in his third career start.
• Massa was 13-of-22 on face-offs with eight ground balls.
• Bryant outshot Yale, 38-30. The home Bulldogs held a 27-15 advantage in ground balls.

GAME NOTES

• Bryant drops to 2-6 all-time against Yale.
• The Bulldogs fall to 9-13 all-time against Ivy League members.
• Kennedy's three-point afternoon pushed him over the 100-point mark for his career.

UP NEXT
Bryant closes out a three-game homestand Saturday when Drexel visits Smithfield. 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.