Cardinal, Breglia post career days as Bulldogs dominate Siena, 17-5, Wednesday at home

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Ali Cardinal (Schenectady, N.Y.) scored a career-high six goals while rookie teammate Caitlin Breglia (Long Beach, N.Y.) added four more to lead the Bryant University women's lacrosse team to a 17-5 thrashing of Siena Wednesday afternoon at home.

Cardinal's six goals shattered her previous career highs in both goals (3) and points (4), and the senior netted all six off just eight total shots. Breglia finished the day with five points, adding an assist to her own career-high numbers. Frosh Leah Nocera (Westwood, Mass.) and sophomores Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) and Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) also added a pair of tallies apiece for the Bulldogs (4-3), with the latter two chipping in three combined assists.

Junior goalie Samantha Santeramo (Wantagh, N.Y.) was again stellar between the pipes, turning away 10 for her third-straight double-digit save performance.

Siena (1-6) netminder Sammy Horton also recorded 10 stops, while the Saints received two goals from Alexis Deaken and Michelle Schwartz. Julia Sardella also tacked on a tally for the visitors.

The Bulldogs rode a fast 7-0 start to a dominant first half, with Cardinal scoring four of five goals in an eight-minute stretch. That run included a natural hat trick, with the senior notching back-to-back-to-back scores to hand Bryant a 6-0 advantage just 13 minutes into the contest.

Britton would cap off the run with her second of the day with 12:35 on the clock before Deaken broke through with two for the visitors. Cardinal would make it five first-half goals with five to play before the intermission, but a Schwartz free position goal would send the hosts into the locker room with an 8-3 edge.

But Bryant would rip off another seven-goal run to open second-half action, this one powered by five scores from the rookie duo of Breglia (3) and Nocera (2). Senior Shannon Sullivan (Farmingdale, N.Y.) and DeMeo would also contribute goals in the stretch, which put the Black and Gold on top, 15-3, with 16:28 still remaining.

Sardella would put a stop to the Bulldogs' run with 14:07 to play, when she netted a pass on the doorstep from Laura Kesnig, but Cardinal and Breglia would sandwich one last Schwartz goal in the final 10 minutes for the 17-5 final.

On the day, Bryant outshot Siena, 31-21, and won the ground ball margin, 19-14. The Saints struggled to convert in the clearing game, going just 5-for-12 to Bryant's 15-of-19 mark. Senior defender Carly Cronin (Feeding Hills, Mass.) paced Bryant with three draw controls, but Siena would win that category, 13-11, behind four from Briana Sirianni. Breglia picked up a game-high four ground balls.

As a unit, the Bulldog offense was incredibly accurate, putting 27 of its 31 shots on target.

The Bulldogs look to carry the momentum from Wednesday's win into their final non-conference battle next Wednesday, March 29 on the road against UMass Lowell. First draw is scheduled for 3:00 p.m.