Bryant hosts LIU to close out 2021 regular season

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's lacrosse team looks to improve to four-straight wins as they host Long Island University on Wednesday, April 28 at 3 p.m. to close out the regular season.

THE PARTICULARS
Opponent: Long Island University
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)
Date and Time: Wednesday, April 28 – 3:00 p.m.
Watch Live: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Presto Stats

THE SERIES

• LIU topped Bryant earlier this season on April 3, 11-8, but the Bulldogs continue to hold the all-time series record, 10-2.

SCOUTING THE SHARKS

• The Sharks post a 7-3 NEC mark as they currently tie with Wagner for the second-place spot. LIU already clinched an NEC playoff berth, but Wednesday's game will decide the team's seeding.
• LIU's only losses of the season came against Mount St. Mary's and twice against Wagner. The Sharks enter Wednesday's game after falling to the Seahawks, 13-9, in Brooklyn.
• Three Sharks led in scoring during Bryant's last meeting with LIU with two goals apiece, including graduate student Paige Sherlock who leads the Sharks with 25 goals on the season. She most recently netted two in the setback against Wagner off five shots.
• Junior Hailey Duchnowski has the second-best goals against average in the NEC with a 9.67 mark. Against the Bulldogs, she made 12 saves and allowed eight goals in a full 60 minutes of play.
• Bryant trails LIU for the best draw control percentage in the conference. LIU leads with a .592 mark and ranks 14^th in the country. Senior Rachel Masullo leads that front as she ranks second in the NEC with 5.75 draws per game. However, the Bulldogs controlled the circle against the Sharks this season, 12-10, led by Emily Diaz with six.

BULLDOGS NOTES AND NOTABLES

• Bryant controls its destiny on Wednesday as they sit in fourth in the NEC standings with a 6-5 conference record. It is a must-win game against LIU to make the playoffs as Sacred Heart trails behind the Bulldogs with a 6-6 mark as the Pioneers have already concluded their regular season schedule.
• The Bulldogs look to grow on their three-game winning streak after they topped Central Connecticut, 22-3, on Senior Day. Devon Bolen led with a career-high six goals, while junior Cassidy Burns tied Bryant's D1 single-game assist record with a career-best of eight.
• Senior Caitlin Bolen earned NEC Co-Offensive Player of the Week after combining for 11 goals against Merrimack and Central Connecticut. The senior leads the NEC in goals per game (3.30) and leads the Bulldogs with 33 goals so far this season.
• After Saturday's record-tying performance from Burns, the junior leads the conference and ranks among the top 20 nationally in assists (29) and assists per game (2.64).
• As a team, the Bulldogs are first in the NEC in draw controls per game with 14.73, led by Megan McCarthy who averages 3.80 per game. Bryant also ranks first in the conference and eighth in the country as they fire 26.18 shots on goal per game. Caitlin Bolen leads that front with 5.00 per game.
• Freshman Kenna Kaut was alongside Bolen in the NEC weekly honors as she earned Rookie of the Week. Kaut netted her first pair of career goals on Merrimack and followed that game with two more against CCSU. Kaut also combined for three assists, two ground balls, and two caused turnovers across the two matchups.
• Senior Giana Kapoosuzian moved up in the NEC rankings in save percentage. Kapoosuzian leads the NEC and ranks 12^th in the country with a save percentage of .497.