Green named to All-NEC Second Team

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After commanding a defense that has boasted five team shutouts this season, Bryant University women's soccer senior back Mary Green (Merrick, N.Y.) has been named to the All-Northeast Conference Second Team, the conference announced Thursday.

The experienced defender has been a pivotal piece of a Bulldog lineup that has a chance to cap off the 2011 campaign with their ninth victory today.  Bryant travels to Quinnipiac University for an afternoon league tilt against the Bobcats.  The game was originally scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 30, but last weekend's nor'easter pushed the contest to today.

A management major and tri-captain of the Bulldogs, Green has appeared in 51 career games despite missing one season due to injury.  A member of the all-conference second team as a sophomore, the New Yorker scored a career-high two goals in one game earlier this year, propelling the Bulldogs to a 3-0 victory against Fairleigh Dickinson on Oct. 16.  Green also is a multi-year member of the NEC Academic Honor Roll.     

The Bulldogs (8-7-3, 4-4-1 NEC) will look to add one last win to an already historic season.  Bryant's eight victories mark the most for the program since joining the DI ranks in 2008.  The team has already clinched a .500 or better winning percentage for the first time since 2008, as well.  Adding to their decorated list of accomplishments this season, the Bulldogs have lost back-to-back games just once this year.  Should the Bulldogs win today, they will finish the season with the most road victories than any other team in the NEC in the regular season.  Bryant has gone 5-4-1 in away games this year, and finished with a 3-3-2 mark at home.

Bryant has posted one win against Quinnipiac, a 1-0 victory back in 2008, but the Bobcats have won the last two meetings, posting back-to-back 1-0 decisions in the previous two seasons.

Quinnipiac enters the weekend losers of five of its last six contests, but stunned second-place Monmouth with a 2-1 victory two weekends ago.  Senior defender Chelsea Smith scored the game-winning goal – her first of the season – against the Hawks on an assist from Aine McKeever.  Most recently, the Bobcats dropped a 4-2 decision to CCSU on Oct. 28.

Furtuna Velaj leads the offense with 13 points on six goals and one helper, while Shauna Edwards has dished out a team-high three assists.  Jill Kelley has made 15 starts in net and holds a 1.97 goals-against average.

For continuing coverage of Bryant University women's soccer, check back at www.bryantbulldogs.com, and be sure to follow the Bulldogs on Twitter @BryantAthletics.