Bryant outlasted by Fairfield in overtime Tuesday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's lacrosse team erased a three-goal fourth-quarter deficit to take a late lead, but Fairfield bounced back to score the game-tying goal with nine seconds remaining and knocked off the Bulldogs in overtime, 12-11, Tuesday afternoon at Beirne Stadium.

Sophomore Marc O'Rourke (Hingham, Mass.) scored six goals in the contest, including three in the fourth-quarter comeback, to match his career-high. Redshirt-freshman Jack Aigner (Brighton, Mich.) was 19-of-24 at the face-off X for the Bulldogs.

GAME INFORMATION
Fairfield 12, Bryant 11 (OT)
Records: Bryant (2-5), Fairfield (3-3)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)

COACH PRESSLER'S COMMENTS
"Fairfield made the play to tie the game with nine seconds to go. Fairfield made the play in overtime to win it. Those plays are made by players. Coaches don't draw that up. Coaches don't set that up. Their players made plays at crucial times at the end of the game.

"It's really a shame for us to fight all the way back from a three-goal deficit to take the lead and not get it done. This was a tough one. We've been through the ringer – three one-goal games, three one-goal losses. We've got to regroup. For us, everything begins and ends with conference play." 

KEY MOMENTS

• Fairfield led 9-6 before a goal from junior Trevor Weingarten (Allendale, N.J.) helped the Bulldogs begin to chip away, scoring five of the next six to take the lead with 4:06 to play on O'Rourke's sixth goal of the day.
• The Stags pulled even with nine seconds remaining to force overtime and scored the game-winning goal with 1:32 to play in the extra frame.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Fairfield scored the first two goals of the game before senior Kevin Quigley (Fairfax Station, Va.) got Bryant on the board with 4:21 remaining in the first quarter.
• The Bulldogs trailed 3-2 through 15 minutes after O'Rourke's first of the day cut into the Fairfield lead.
• Bryant tied the game twice in the second quarter, at 3-3 on a goal from sophomore Austin Kent (Franklin, Mass.) and 4-4 on O'Rourke's second goal of the contest.
• Fairfield took a 5-4 lead into the half.
• Weingarten tied the game at five on a goal 4:51 into the third quarter before the Stags scored the next two. A man-up goal from O'Rourke was answered by Fairfield to give the Stags an 8-6 advantage through three quarters.
• Fairfield opened its largest lead of the contest at 9-6 with 11:09 to play before goals from Weingarten and O'Rourke brought the Bulldogs back within one.
• The Stags countered to pull ahead 10-8 with 6:43 to go before a Weingarten tally and two from O'Rourke put the Bulldogs ahead 11-10 with 4:06 remaining, giving Bryant its first lead of the day.
• Fairfield re-tied the game with nine seconds to play to force overtime.
• In the extra period, Weingarten found the back of the net with just under two minutes remaining, but the goal was waved off for a crease violation.
• The Stags scored on the ensuing possession with 1:32 to play in the first overtime.

STATS

• O'Rourke scored six goals, including four in the final 17:22 of regulation.
• Weingarten matched his career-high with a three-goal effort.
• Aigner was 19-of-24 (.792) on face-offs with 11 ground balls. Both totals were career-bests.
• Junior Jack Callahan (Victor, N.Y.) collected a career-high four ground balls.
• Freshman Luke Caracciolo (Centreville, Va.) made 14 saves.
• Fairfield outshot Bryant, 42-35.
• The Bulldogs collected 32 ground balls to the Stags' 28.

GAME NOTES

• Caracciolo has recorded 14 or more saves in five of his six games this season.
• The Bulldogs have played three straight one-goal games and four in their last five contests.
• O'Rourke's six-goal performance matches his output March 17, 2018 vs. Mount St. Mary's.
• Bryant drops to 1-4 all-time against Fairfield.

UP NEXT
Bryant opens Northeast Conference play on the road when the Bulldogs travel to Emmitsburg, Maryland, to face Mount St. Mary's Saturday. Opening face-off is slated for noon and the game can be seen on NEC Front Row.

Tickets for the 2019 campaign at Beirne Stadium are available by clicking HERE.

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