Bulldogs host Brown in home opener

FIELD HOCKEY HOSTS BROWN IN HOME OPENER FRIDAY AT 7 P.M.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University field hockey team is gearing up to host Brown University on Friday, Sept. 14 in a primetime showdown in the Bulldogs' 2012 home opener.

Bryant (1-5) will look to get back in the win column after dropping two games over the weekend in Orono, Maine. Most recently, the Bulldogs fell, 2-1, in a highly contested match with Maine on Sunday afternoon. Brown is coming off a 4-2 win over Colgate on Saturday, and heads down the road to Smithfield for its first road game of 2012.

On Sunday, the Black and Gold fell behind after a goal by Annabelle Hamilton at the 27:47 mark gave the Black Bears a 1-0 advantage heading into halftime. Bryant junior Kayleigh Ballantyne (Gorham, Maine) evened the score at the 58:30 mark putting away her first goal of the season, tying the game at 1-1.

Despite a valiant effort by the Bryant defense, Maine's Zoe Adkins put away the game winning goal at the 64:50 mark off of a rebound from a missed shot. Bryant keeper Megan Hancock (Skowhegan, Maine) finished the game with a season-high 11 saves.

The Bears enter Friday's action with a 2-1 record after defeating Coalgate, 4-2, on Saturday. Brown is led by sophomore Clayton Christus and freshman Hannah Rogers who each have tallied two goals on the season thus far.  The Bears, which return 2011 leading scorer Meghan O'Donnell and Honorable Mention All-Ivy goalie Shannon McSweeney, look to continue improving upon last year's 4-13 record.

The two teams last met in Providence in September of 2011 in a back-and-forth game resulting in a 3-2 Bulldog win. Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand), Olivia Jankins (West Brookfield, Mass.), and Ballantyne all scored for Bryant in the victory. The Bears will head to Smithfield Friday night in hopes of avenging their 2011 loss.

For links to streaming video and live stats of Friday's game and for all the latest information on Bryant University field hockey, visit BryantBulldogs.com.