Columbus, Brown explode in second half for 9-6 season-opening win over Holy Cross

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team scored five-straight goals over a 10-minute span in the second half to take over a lead it would never relinquish, coming from behind to top Holy Cross, 9-6, Saturday at home in the 2015 season opener.

The Bulldog (1-0) victory came behind breakout performances from sophomore Emily Columbus (East Northport, N.Y.) and rookie Catlin Brown (San Diego, Calif.), who came off the bench to record a hat trick in her collegiate debut. Columbus paced the game with four points off a hat trick of her own and one assist, while junior Nicole Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) contributed three points (1 goal, 2 assists) and senior Shannon Burns (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) added a pair of tallies. The Crusaders (0-1) were led by three goals from Laura Ryan.

Columbus and Britton paired up to produce a trio of goals on the afternoon, including the first Bryant score of the season with just 2:12 to play in opening half. The tally closed the home side's deficit to 2-1 following free position goals from Lissie Russert and Ryan.

Maddie Ward would send Holy Cross into the locker room with a 3-1 halftime advantage with a goal in the final minute of first-half play, but an unassisted tally from Burns would nullify the score 90 seconds into the second frame.

Ryan and Tess McKay gave the visitors a 5-2 advantage – Holy Cross's largest lead of the game – with just over 25 minutes to play on back-to-back free position goals to force Bryant to make a change in net. The switch to freshman Daja Andrews (Lumberton, N.J.) between the pipes proved to be just the spark the Bulldogs needed.

With 23:18 left on the clock, Brown got on the board for the first time in her Bryant career, tucking a shot right under the crossbar for a free position goal to close the gap to 5-3. She would make good on her second attempt less than two minutes later, and Burns would score on the hosts' third-straight free position attempt with 16 minutes left in regulation to knot the score at 5-5.

Britton would assist on a Columbus goal for the second time at the 15:22 mark, passing the ball off to her sophomore teammate to curl around the goal and finish into the back of the net for the first Bulldog lead of the day, 6-5.

Two minutes later, the duo would reverse the roles, as Britton took a dish from Columbus and fired it home for a 7-5 advantage.

And while Ryan would complete her hat trick with 5:16 remaining, Columbus capped off her four-point day with a free position score with 3:34 on the clock. Last season's top goal-scorer and current junior Lauren Descalzo (Hauppauge, N.Y.) notched an assist two minutes later off a feed to Brown, who sealed Bryant's 9-6 victory on her third score of the day with 93 ticks left on the clock.

On the afternoon, the Bulldogs outshot the Crusaders, 21-19, and edged their visitors in draw controls, 9-8. Britton and senior defender Corey Mania (Wayne, N.J.) led the Black and Gold with three apiece, while four ground balls from frosh Meghan Brennan (Glen Head, N.Y.) paced the Bulldogs as they doubled up their opponents in the category, 18-9.

Starting goalie Samantha Santeramo (Wantagh, N.Y.) made one save in 34:38 of action before giving way to Andrews, who picked up three and the win in the final 25:22 of the tilt. Katie Boyle turned away seven for the Crusaders despite the loss.

The Bulldogs won't have long to revel in the victory, however, as they return to the field in just three days to host Siena College Tuesday afternoon at the Bryant Turf Complex (1 p.m.).