Posted: Apr 27, 2013

Bulldogs go for history Sunday

Bryant women's lacrosse takes on Monmouth for NEC Championship Sunday at 1 pm

The Bryant University women's lacrosse team will be looking to make history on Sunday when the Bulldogs take on top-seed and defending conference champion Monmouth University in the 2013 title game at 1 p.m.

In the first year of postseason eligibility since moving to Division I, the Bulldogs are one victory away from earning the school's first NCAA Division I postseason berth. Bryant, seeded third in the tournament, and picked seventh in the NEC preseason coaches' poll at the beginning of the year, advanced to the title game with a thrilling 11-10 victory over second-seeded Central Connecticut.

Behind four goals from junior Kimberley Sniffen (Redding, Conn.) plus two from Haley Bloom (Hauppauge, N.Y), Katherine Keckeisen (Danbury, Conn.) and Lisa Vendel (Sandy Hook, Conn.), including the game-winner, the Bulldogs rallied from down two goals late in the second half to pull out the victory.

Defensively, the Bulldogs received excellent play from captains Nicole Rettinger (Dix Hills, N.Y.), Lindsay Langella (Northport, N.Y.), plus valuable contributions from Aileen Pearman (Fair Haven, N.J.) and Emily Bogan (Swansea, Mass.), as the Bulldogs forced 12 Blue Devils turnovers in the contest. Rettinger, a second team all-conference selection, recorded two ground balls in the semifinal victory.

Junior netminder Brianna Watt (Babylon, N.Y.) was stellar between the pipes, making several key second half saves, finishing with nine in the game.

This will be the sixth meeting all-time between Bryant and Monmouth, with the Hawks holding a 3-2 series edge. Thanks to Friday's win over Central Connecticut, Bryant has won its last two games at Kessler Field in West Long Branch, N.J. During the 2012 season, Bryant picked up a 10-8 victory over the Hawks during the regular season. The Bulldogs raced out to an 8-3 lead and held on for the victory, thanks to three goals from Bloom.

Last week, in a regular-season game at Bryant's Turf Complex in Smithfield, R.I., Monmouth handed Bryant a 12-8 loss as the Bulldogs led an early 5-1 lead slip away.

This weekend's Northeast Conference tournament marks the first trip to the postseason by the women's lacrosse team since 2008 when the Bulldogs, competing in the Division II Northeast-10 Conference, defeated Bentley in a quarterfinal game before falling to Southern New Hampshire in the semifinals, Bryant's final season competing at the Division II level.

The winner of Sunday's championship game will earn one of 13 automatic bids into the Division I women's lacrosse championship. The field of 26 will be announced May 5 with first round play scheduled for May 10-12.

Monmouth will be seeking its sixth NEC conference title and second in as many years. Last year in Fairfield, Conn., the Hawks claimed their fifth conference title with an 11-3 victory over Mount St. Mary's. The Hawks bring a 10-game winning streak into Sunday's championship.

For Bryant (10-7), the Bulldogs are led offensively by the explosive trio of Vendel, Sniffen and Bloom. Vendel, a first-team all-conference selection, leads the way with 44 goals and eight assists this season while Sniffen and Bloom, both second team all-conference selections, with 41 and 27 goals respectively. NEC all-rookie selection Lauren Descalzo (Hauppauge, N.Y.) is dangerous as well as the freshman brings 34 goals into Sunday's game.

Fans can catch all of the action live online at www.necfrontrow.com