Bulldogs fall to No. 5/4 Stony Brook in 2017 season opener

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team saw two goals apiece from freshmen Caitlin Breglia (Long Beach, N.Y.) and Maggie Pressler (Smithfield, R.I.), but the Bulldogs couldn't keep up with the offensive firepower of No. 5/4 Stony Brook, falling in its 2017 season opener, 20-5.

Sophomore Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) tallied the remaining score for the Bulldogs (0-1), who also got points from sophomore Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) (2 assists) in the game.

The Seawolves (2-0) were led by an astounding 12-point game from Second Team All-American and 2016 Tewaaraton nominee Kylie Ohlmiller, who netted seven goals and added five assists, while Courtney Murphy chipped in six goals (1 assist) and Samantha DiSalvo registered five points (3g, 2a).

Stony Brook got off to a 9-0 start in the first 15 minutes of Saturday's contest, a run highlighted by four-straight goals from Ohlmiller and three straight from Murphy.

DeMeo and Pressler teamed up to put an end to the stretch, with the sophomore feeding her rookie counterpart for back-to-back goals just one minute apart – Pressler's first of her career – to cut the lead to 9-2 with 10:22 remaining in the first.

Ohlmiller and Murphy would each find the back of the net again to make up those goals before Breglia scored her first career tally in unassisted fashion at the 3:06 mark. DiSalvo would move the margin to 12-3 in favor of the Seawolves entering the halftime break.

In the second half, a Breglia goal with 21:20 remaining would be the only interjection in a seven-goal Stony Brook run that brought the score to 19-4 with 7:43 to play. Britton took a pass from Breglia four minutes later for the final Bryant tally on the day, but Taryn Ohlmiller would get the final word with 1:36 to go, finalizing the 20-5 margin.

On the day, Stony Brook outshot the Bulldogs, 37-16, and just edged the Black and Gold in ground balls, 16-13. The Seawolves dominated on the draw, 20-7, getting eight wins from Keri McCarthy (2 goals), while Bulldog seniors Carly Cronin (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and Molly Martin (Island Park, N.Y.) each grabbed three to lead the visitors.

The Bryant defense recorded seven caused turnovers while Martin's four ground balls marked a game high. The Bulldogs went 0-for-2 on free position shots, while Stony Brook finished 2-for-5 in the category.

Between the pipes, juniors Samantha Santeramo (Wantagh, N.Y.) and Daja Andrews (Lumberton, N.J.) split time, recording three and two saves, respectively, to total five on the day. Stony Brook counterpart Anna Tesoriero registered five saves of her own in the win.

The Bulldogs return home for their next contest, a Saturday matchup against Holy Cross in the 2017 home opener at the Bryant Track & Turf Complex (12 p.m.).