Bryant falls in double overtime heartbreaker in NEC Final

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team saw its season come to an end on Saturday afternoon, falling in the Northeast Conference Women's Lacrosse Championship Game in double overtime.

GAME INFORMATION

Wagner 12, Bryant 11 (2OT)

Records: Wagner (13-5), Bryant (12-6)

Location: Bryant Track and Turf – Smithfield, R.I.

COACH BATCHELLER'S COMMENTS

Today we left it all out on the field. Playing against Wagner, we knew it was going to be a 60-minute battle and a game of momentum. Through the game, it took us awhile to make adjustments and play consistently to the game plan. Anyone there today can recognize this team's heart in the way we fought back from a three-goal deficit late in the game. We had a ton of opportunities in the end but Wagner's defense made some great plays. At the end of the day, we left that field knowing that we put our hearts on the field and can't be anything but proud of that. I would love to thank and congratulate our seniors for this amazing program that they have helped build. As always, we will reflect on this experience and come back stronger.

KEY MOMENT

Moments after Lauren Ednie hit the left post with a shot, she won the title for the Seahawks, beating senior Samantha Santeramo (Wantagh, N.Y.) high at the midway point of the third overtime period.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bulldogs offense started red-hot, scoring five goals in 10:33. Sophomore Caitlin Breglia (Long Beach, N.Y.), juniors Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) and Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) and seniors Emily Columbus (East Northport, N.Y.) and Kristie VosWinkel (Newtown, Conn.) all scored the goals for Bryant.
• Wagner answered with a five-goal run of their own, with Ally Alliegro scoring three of the five. Anna Belle Reilly and Erin Kerstetter added scores to knot the game at five heading into the break.
• The Seahawks jumped ahead in the second half, with Ednie scoring three in a four-goal run to put Wagner up 9-6 a third of the way through the period.
• DeMeo added her second of the game, but Heidi Colford responded to make it 10-7 Seahawks at the midway point.
• Bryant's comeback then hit full throttle, as VosWinkel scored a pair and junior Meredith James (Essex Fells, N.J.) added a goal as part of a four-goal run for the Bulldogs.
• Britton scored a very similar goal to the one she scored a week ago on Staten Island, putting Bryant up 11-10 with just under a minute to go.
• Ednie would answer, however, beating Santeramo to tie the game with 31 seconds left.
• Each team had chances in the extra session, with April Simmons turning it over for Wagner in the overtime's first period and then Britton was stopped by substitute goalie Kelsey Fee.
• Heidi Colford ripped an eight-meter shot high in the second half of the first overtime, resulting in a shot clock violation. Breglia had a chance for the Bulldogs, but her shot was blocked in a contested eight-meter area.
• Ally Alliegro won the draw for Wagner to start the second overtime and the third time was the charm, as they would not allow Bryant to possess the ball, scoring on their second shot of the second extra session.

STATS

• The Bulldogs outshot Wagner 37-29 on the afternoon, but the Seahawks had the advantage in the overtimes 4-2.
• Wagner won both draws in overtime, but Bryant held an overall advantage 16-10.
• Bryant won the battle on the ground, scooping up 19 ground balls to the Seahawks' 16.
• It was a physical game, with Wagner committing 31 fouls and Bryant getting called for 29.
• VosWinkel finished the day with three goals, leading all Bulldogs. Only DeMeo matched her in the point column, with two goals and an assist.
• Santeramo and senior Meaghan Brennan (Glen Head, N.Y.) each finished with four ground balls. Breglia added three.
• Britton finished the day with six draw controls, while James grabbed four off the whistle.
• Brennan led the Bulldogs with three caused turnovers. VosWinkel and senior Amanda Moss (Lebanon, N.J.) each had two.

NOTES

• Breglia finished the season with 70 points, one shy of the Division I record held by Columbus.
• VosWinkel recorded her second-career hat trick, with her only other coming at Harvard on March 10.
• Brennan's four GBs match a career-high.
• This was Bryant's first double-overtime game since 2014.