Bryant meets at Merrimack for midweek tilt

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team hits the road to meet with Merrimack this Wednesday, March 31 at 12 p.m. on NEC Front Row.

THE PARTICULARS
Opponent: Merrimack
Date and Time: Wednesday, March 31 – 12 p.m.
Location: Duane Stadium (North Andover, Mass.)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
Watch Live: NEC Front Row

THE SERIES

• The two teams have yet to meet in the Division I era since Merrimack moved to Division I last season.
• When both teams played in the NE-10 at the D2 level, they met 10 times. Merrimack holds the all-time series record, 6-4, but the Bulldogs took the most recent meeting, 16-17, back in 2008.

SCOUTING THE WARRIORS

• Merrimack is 1-6 to start the year and 1-4 against NEC opponents. The team's lone win came over Saint Francis in the conference opener. The Warriors took down the Red Flash, 14-10.
• Senior Meghan Dzialo leads the team with 21 goals so far this season, including a season-best of five against Holy Cross. Across Merrimack's seven games, Dzialo recorded four games of four goals or more. The senior does it all for the Warriors as she also ranks second on the team with five caused turnovers and 23 draw controls.
• The Warriors also post three others who have posted double-digit goals so far this season. Haley Bartlett (15), Taylor Darrell (13), and Catherine Mahanna (10).
• Junior Gabby Cacciola is Merrimack's primary goalkeeper starting in five of the team's seven games. However, Cacciola hasn't appeared in the past two games for the Warriors and it was freshman Sam Preston who played the full 60 minutes in each meeting. Preston stopped a combined 17 and has a save percentage of .321.

BULLDOGS NOTES AND NOTABLES

• The Bulldogs fell to Mount St. Mary's in their home opener, 20-11. Bryant is now 1-2 in NEC play.
• Senior Natalie Langella earned an NEC Prime Performer nod for her offensive contributions. Langella poured in five goals at Central Connecticut followed by two against Mount St. Mary's.
• Junior Alexa Weber has been one of Bryant's most dangerous threats as she puts an average of 4 shots on goal per game. Weber posts 14 shots so far across three games. She poured in three goals against Mount St. Mary's for her first multi-goal game of the season.
• Junior Emily Diaz has also been one of Bryant's go-to's this year on the offensive end. She ranks seventh in the NEC with a .500 shot percentage, as she converted five of her ten shots into goals this season.
• Junior Cassidy Burns has been key in facilitating Bryant's offense. Burns has five assists so far on the year including a career-best of four at Central Connecticut. She ranks fourth in the NEC averaging 1.67 assists per game. Burns also ranks sixth in caused turnovers per game (1.33), and eighth in free position goals per game (0.67), after converting two free position opportunities into goals against the Mountaineers.
• Gabriella Henry leads the team with seven groundballs across just two games.
• Sam Ciancio has seen the most minutes between the pipes for the Black and Gold as she splits time with Giana Kapoosuzian. Ciancio ranks sixth in the NEC in goals against average (12.97), sixth in save percentage (.432), seventh in total saves (19), and seventh in saves per game (6.33). Kapoosuzian has seen about 65 minutes in goal and ranks ninth in the conference with 13 saves so far this season.