GAMETIME: BRYANT FIELD HOCKEY MAKES DIVISION I POSTSEASON DEBUT

Nov. 4, 2010

BRYANT FIELD HOCKEY MAKES DIVISION I POSTSEASON DEBUT THIS WEEKEND
Third-Seeded Bulldogs Take On Second-Seeded Monmouth Friday

NEC Tournament Game Notes

LAWRENCEVILLE, N. J. - The Bryant University field hockey team will begin the program's first ever venture into Division I postseason play when it competes in the Northeast Conference semifinals on Friday against Monmouth.

The Bulldogs (8-11, 5-2 NEC), who clinched the third seed in the Northeast Conference with two wins last weekend, will take on No. 2 seed Monmouth (14-4, 6-1 NEC) on Friday at 11 a.m. The entire NEC tournament will be held on Friday and Saturday in Lawrenceville, N.J., at the home of top-seeded, Rider.

Bryant, which has won seven of its last nine games and exceeded the preseason coaches' poll ranking of fourth in the conference,  qualified for postseason play in their first season of eligibility. Coach Shaunessy Saucier's squad was one of two programs in Bryant athletics that were fast-tracked for full Division I membership, allowing just two seasons for the squad to adjust to the next level of play.

It took the team little time to find their way in DI and though they were ineligible for the NEC tournament last year, the Bulldogs finished tied for fourth in the conference standings. Building on a strong opening season, the Bulldogs wasted no time in becoming the first team in Bryant history to clinch a NEC tournament spot when they beat Quinnipiac, 4-2, at home last Friday, guaranteeing them a spot in the postseason with a game to spare.

Now the Bulldogs face their toughest task yet: earning the program's and the school's first DI postseason victory. It won't come easy against a very strong Monmouth side that earned the second seed this season and are the only NEC team to have earned votes in the most recent Kookaburra/NFHCA Division I National Coaches Poll. The Hawks have only lost once to a conference opponent this year, a 3-0 road loss to Rider. The Hawks enter the match second in conference play in goals (19), shutouts (5), and goals allowed (4). They also have the NEC's second and third top scorers, Michelle Pieczynski and Kimmy Baligian, who have tallied 7 and 4 conference goals, respectively. Both have scored 13 goals against all competition this season.

Bryant, however, already has experience shutting out Monmouth's powerful attack. When the Bulldogs traveled to play the Hawks on October 24, they held the home side scoreless for over 88 minutes. It took until the second overtime period for Monmouth to break through and earn a 1-0 victory. In that match, junior goalkeeper Jennifer Gullotti (Waltham, Mass.) recorded nine saves for the Bulldogs. Gullotti is third in the NEC with 139 total saves.

If the Bulldogs are to get an impressive win on Friday, however, they'll have to do something only two NEC teams have done all season, score against the Hawks stalwart defense. Bryant's offense will be led by junior Courtney Landi (Kingston, N.Y.) who is seventh in the NEC with seven total goals, senior Elise Boissoneau (Gorham, Maine) who is 10th with six total goals, and freshmen forwards Mallory Hancock (Skowhegan, Maine) and Olivia Jankins (West Brookfield, Mass.) who are tied for fifth in the NEC with three conference goals.

Jankins has been the in-form option lately, having just picked up her second NEC Rookie of the Week award after tallying a goal and three assists in the Bulldogs two wins last weekend.

If the Bulldogs do get the upset on Friday, they'll have little time to prepare for the NEC final on Saturday at 12 p.m. against the winner of No. 1 Rider and No. 4 Quinnipiac, who face off at 1:30 p.m. in the other semifinal on Friday.