DeMeo breaks program goals mark vs. Fresno State

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) broke the program career goals record with the 178^th of her collegiate career, but the Bryant University women's lacrosse team was held off by Fresno State, 18-12, Friday afternoon at Beirne Stadium.

DeMeo passed Lauren Descalzo for the program record while also reaching the 200-point mark for her career. The record-breaking tally came with 27:34 to go in the game on DeMeo's third goal of the day.

GAME INFORMATION
Fresno State 18, Bryant 12
Records: Bryant (4-5), Fresno State (7-3)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)

COACH ROCHE'S COMMENTS
"Offensively, we were unable to finish today. Defensively, we didn't effectively shut down their key personnel. We are going to learn from our mistakes, make some changes, and use this as motivation to get better in preparation for conference play next week."

KEY MOMENT

• Bryant cut the Fresno State lead to 11-10 on a goal from sophomore Caitlin Bolen (Queensbury, N.Y.) with 24:52 to play, but the visitors scored the next six goals to build a 17-10 lead with 6:09 to go.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Fresno State scored the first five goals of the game before junior Caitlin Breglia (Long Beach, N.Y.) got Bryant on the board with 19:04 remaining in the first half.
• Junior Maggie Pressler (Smithfield, R.I.) bounced in a shot despite Bryant serving a yellow card and sophomore Natalie Langella (Northport, N.Y.) added another after completing her two-minute penalty, bringing Bryant within 6-3 with 13:25 to go in the half.
• DeMeo would score twice and Langella would add another before Fresno State extended its lead to 10-6 with 1:31 left before halftime.
• Bryant would strike twice in the final minute of the half with goals from Breglia and sophomore Devon Bolen (Queensbury, N.Y.), sending the teams to the locker room with Fresno State leading 10-8.
• Goals from DeMeo and Caitlin Bolen would cut the Fresno State lead to one for the first time at 11-10 with 24:52 to go, but Fresno State responded with the next goals while holding the Bulldogs scoreless for 22 minutes.
• Langella and Caitlin Bolen added goals in the final 2:17 to bring the game to its final 18-12 margin.

STATS

• DeMeo scored three goals and collected two ground balls.
• Langella tallied three goals, good for her sixth multi-goal game in seven March contests.
• Senior Meredith James (Essex Fells, N.J.) collected nine draw controls, a mark tied for fourth in a single game in Bryant's Division I era.
• Senior Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) added seven draw controls to Bryant's second performance of 20 or more this season. Britton also chipped in two ground balls and a caused turnover.
• Breglia tallied two goals, one assist and two ground balls.
• Pressler matched her career-high with three assists and posted a career-high four points.
• Bryant outshot Fresno State, 43-34.
• Fresno State was 6-for-9 on free-position attempts, while Bryant was 1-for-6.

GAME NOTES

• Bryant drops to 1-1 all-time against Fresno State.
• DeMeo became the first Bulldog in the program's Division I era to reach 200 career points.
• James' nine draw controls are the most since her program single-game record 13 last season vs. Niagara.
• Pressler's three assists match her career-best output against Canisius.
• Caitlin Bolen tallied her third career multi-goal game.
• Breglia (18) and Pressler (13) rank first and tied for third, respectively, in the NEC in total assists at the conclusion of Bryant's non-conference slate.
• Bryant has had the upper hand or been even in total draw controls in six of nine games this season.

UP NEXT
Bryant begins NEC play next Friday at 3 p.m. when the Bulldogs travel to Fairfield, Connecticut, to face Sacred Heart. 

Season tickets for the 2019 campaign at Beirne Stadium are available by clicking HERE.

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