DeMeo scores seven but Bulldogs fall in OT, 10-9

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) tied a Division I program record with seven goals but the UMass Lowell scored with just 13 seconds left in the first overtime period to hand the Bryant University women's lacrosse team a 10-9 loss on Wednesday afternoon at the Cushing Field Complex.

With the loss, the Bulldogs finish the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 4-4 record. It is the first win for the River Hawks against Bryant and their sixth-straight win this season.

UMass Lowell earned a free position opportunity with 17 seconds left in the first overtime and Kendyl Finelli buried her seventh goal of the season to give the River Hawks the victory.

Wednesday's game got to overtime thanks to a back-and-forth second half that saw the two teams trade scores over the final 20 minutes. Trailing 6-3, the River Hawks scored four goals in a four-minute span, with Austin Trasatti's goal at 20:21 giving them the lead.

Freshman Leah Nocera (Westwood, Mass.) would answer less than a minute later to tie the score, burying a free position opportunity.

UMass Lowell and Bryant would then trade scores four times over the final 19 minutes. Taylor Sokol and DeMeo scored goals 14 seconds apart to tie the game at 8-8, and DeMeo's seventh and final goal with 3:39 left tied the game at 9-9. Bryant nearly broke the tie with 1:50 left in the game but Shannon Sullivan's (Farmingdale, N.Y.) laser clanged off the crossbar.

Leading 4-3 at the half, DeMeo scored the first two goals of the second half to give Bryant its biggest lead of the afternoon. The sophomore's seven goals tie the DI program record that is held by Shannon Burns, Lauren Descalzo (twice) and Lisa Vendel. It is the first seven-goal game since May 3, 2015.

DeMeo finished the game with a career-high eight points, scoring on seven of her eight shots on goal. Senior Carly Cronin (Feeding Hills, Mass.) led Bryant with five ground balls and sophomore Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) finished with three ground balls, four draw controls and three caused turnovers.

Trasatti, Sokol, Rebecca Idson and Hana Caster all finished with two goals for the River Hawks. Courtney Barrett made nine saves in net.

Bryant opens Northeast Conference play on Friday, April 7 when it hosts LIU Brooklyn. Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. at the Track and Turf Complex.