Perennial NEC powers meet Thursday in Smithfield
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team battles Wagner Thursday night at Beirne Stadium in a key NEC contest with postseason implications.
The Particulars
Opponent: Wagner
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)
Date and Time: Thursday, April 18 – 7 p.m.
Tickets: Thursday
Watch: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Presto Sports
Game Notes: Bryant
Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | #GoBryant | #NECWLax
SCOUTING THE SEAHAWKS
Wagner is 9-3 on the year with an 2-1 mark in NEC play. The Seahawks fell 11-9 on the road to Mount St. Mary's Saturday to snap an eight-game winning streak. Wagner recorded home victories over Robert Morris and Saint Francis U to open NEC play.
Madeline Seims leads the Seahawks with 37 goals and 38 points on the year, while Victoria Tucci (35) and Erin Kerstetter (33) have added 30 or more points. Wagner ranks fifth nationally in ground balls per game (22.50), seventh in scoring defense (8.17) and ninth in caused turnovers per game (11.83).
THE SERIES
Bryant is 10-5 all-time in the series with Wagner, which has included 10 meetings in the last five seasons. The Bulldogs and Seahawks have squared off in the last five NEC Championship games. Bryant has won all five regular-season matchups and gone 3-2 in the NEC tournament contests.
The teams split a pair of one-goal games in 2018 with Bryant taking an 11-10 victory on Staten Island in the final week of the regular season and Wagner capturing a 12-11 double-overtime win for the NEC Championship at the Bryant Track & Turf Complex.
LAST TIME OUT: BRYANT 18, CENTRAL CONNECTICUT 7
Bryant scored the first three goals of the game and five straight to close out the first half, taking a 13-4 lead into the locker room and leading by at least eight the rest of the way to improve to 3-0 in the NEC. Five Bulldogs recorded multi-goal games, including a career-best three from sophomore Devon Bolen (Queensbury, N.Y.).
A MATCHUP TO CIRCLE
Thursday's game will feature the NEC's top two players in the draw circle. Bryant senior Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) leads the NEC and ranks seventh nationally with 7.83 per game, while Wagner's Erin Kerstetter is second in the conference and 19th in the country with 6.08.
SUPER SAVER
Sophomore Giana Kapoosuzian (Merrick, N.Y.) recorded a career-high 18 saves in Friday's win over Central Connecticut. The 18 saves are tied for the fifth-most in a game in program history and the most since Sam Santeramo turned aside 18 and 19 in back-to-back games in 2017.
Kapoosuzian was named NEC Defensive Player of the Week for her performance in the win over the Blue Devils.
ALL OF THE RECORDS
Over her last five games, senior Lauren Britton has collected Bryant's program records for single-game, single-season and career draw controls. Britton broke her sister Nicole's career record with her 172nd at UConn and surpassed senior Meredith James (Essex Fells, N.J.) with 14 in a game at Sacred Heart and 93 for a season vs. Central Connecticut.
Britton, who has recorded 33 draw controls in her last three games, now has 212 for her career and 94 on the year.
JESS TO IMPRESS
Senior Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) is tied for the NEC lead with 42 goals on the year and has a conference-best 15 in league games. DeMeo ranks 16th nationally with 3.50 goals per game and 39th in total goals.
DeMeo's 193 career goals rank sixth nationally among active players.
WE TAKIN' OVER
Seniors Lauren Britton and Jess DeMeo will be taking over the @NCAALAX Instagram account Thursday leading up to the game between the Bulldogs and Seahawks.
UP NEXT: MOUNT ST. MARY'S
Bryant hosts Mount St. Mary's Saturday for Senior Day. The 3 p.m. game at Beirne Stadium will be preceded by a ceremony honoring the Bulldogs' five-member senior class.
Follow Bryant Women's Lacrosse on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for an inside look at the program.