Bulldogs gear up for NEC homestand over weekend

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After opening up Northeast Conference play with a perfect 2-0 start, the Bryant University women's lacrosse team will host two more conference foes over the weekend, welcoming Robert Morris on Friday (3 p.m.) and Saint Francis U. on Sunday (12 p.m.) to the Bryant Turf Complex.

After a disappointing loss to in-state rival Brown on Tuesday, the Bulldogs bounced back with a pair of huge road wins over the weekend to get off to their third-straight 2-0 start in NEC play. On Friday, the Black and Gold squeaked out a 7-6 double overtime win thanks to a trio of goals from both Lisa Vendel (Sandy Hook, Conn.) and Haley Bloom (Hauppauge, N.Y.).

The Bulldogs used the momentum from their double overtime win to explode for 14 goals in Sunday's victory at Mount St. Mary's. Behind a five-goal effort from sophomore attack Lauren Descalzo (Hauppauge, N.Y.), the Bulldogs wrapped up their weekend atop the NEC standings. Senior goalkeeper Brianna Watt (Babylon, N.Y.) and Bloom were rewarded for their outstanding play as Watt earned her third NEC Defensive Player of the Week honor and Bloom was named NEC Co-Player of the Week. The two seniors will lead the Black and Gold against the Colonials as the pair of unbeatens battle for sole possession of first place on Friday.

The first game of the home stand will feature the top two scoring offenses in the league as Robert Morris ranks first in goals per game (12.55) with Bryant sitting just behind in second (11.36). Both defenses will have a lot of work to do against the high-powered offensive attacks, however, both Bryant and Robert Morris rank in the top three in the NEC in goals against average at 9.42 and 11.08, respectively.

Robert Morris is led by Kristin Yoviene and Corey Karwacki, who share the team-lead with 22 tallies apiece. Yoviene is a nuisance in the offensive zone, leading the team in assists (12), bringing her point total to 34 for the year (fourth in the NEC). Defensively, the Colonials will look to Kaitlin Pentz to stunt the Bulldog attack between the pipes. Pentz ranks sixth in the NEC with a .376 save percentage, while allowing 11.50 goals per game, third-best in the NEC. RMU ventures to Smithfield carrying a 2-0 record in NEC play after defeating Sacred Heart and LIU Brooklyn in Moon Township, Pa., last weekend.

On Sunday, the Bulldogs welcome Saint Francis U. to town to wrap up the homestand. The Red Flash enter weekend action with a 1-1 record in NEC play and will faceoff with Central Connecticut on Friday before finishing up the weekend in Smithfield. SFU is led by NEC-point leader Danielle Conwell, who travels to the Northeast coming off an 11-point weekend in which she scored eight goals and dished out three assists. On the defensive end, the Red Flash rank fourth in the NEC in goals against average (12.36) and hope to calm the fiery offense of the Bulldogs.

Both games will be played at the Bryant Turf Complex and as always, can be viewed free of charge on NECFrontRow.com.