Women's lax downed by UC Davis, 19-12

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -  Freshman Haley Bloom (Hauppauge, N.Y.) recorded a career-best four goals to go along with one assist for a team-high five points, but it was not enough as the UC Davis held on for a 19-12 victory over the Bulldogs in non-conference women's lacrosse action Friday in Davis, Calif.

Lauren Sheridan (Bethpage, N.Y.), Mary Green (Merrick, N.Y.), Katherine Keckeisen (Danbury, Conn.), Lisa Vendal (Sandy Hook, Conn.) and Bloom accounted for the scoring for the Bulldogs who accounted for a season-high 12 goals in the contest.  

Bryant (1-4) lost the draw control battle to UC Davis (6-1), 19-14, but converted on 12 of 18 shots on goal.

After a quiet first five minutes, the host Aggies rattled off two goals in a span of just 15 seconds to take a quick 2-0 lead, but Bloom would help get the Bulldogs on the board with a free position goal make it a one-goal game with 22 minutes left in the first half.

Both would trade goals for much of the first half as a tally from Sheridan brought the Bulldogs to within 6-4. The Aggies, however, would answer right back with three more scores to take a 9-5 lead into the locker room at the break.

The offense would awaken in the second half as Green got things started right out of the gate with a free position goal a minute in and moments later, behind a pair of goals by Keckeisen, last week's NEC Rookie of the Week honoree, the Bulldogs managed to tie things up at 10-10 with just over 20 minutes left to go. 

However, UC Davis responded with a big 7-1 run to put the game away.  Keckeisen would add a late tally for her third of the game, but that would be as close as the Bulldogs would get.

Junior co-captain Lauren Filippone (West Babylon, N.Y. ) got the start in goal for the Bulldogs and picked up nine saves in the game before giving way to Brianna Watt (West Babylon, N.Y.) in the second half.

The Bulldogs were out-shot, 37-29, and lost the turnover battle, 21-15, but managed to grab just as many groundballs as the Aggies, 19-19.

Wrapping up their two-game trip to the West Coast, the Bulldogs will return to action March 20 at Brown at 1 p.m.