Bulldogs win overtime thriller

FIELD HOCKEY TOPS HOLY CROSS, 3-2, IN EXTRA TIME

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand) scored just over five minutes into overtime to lift the Bulldogs to a 3-2 victory over Holy Cross Tuesday night in Worcester, Mass.

With the win, Bryant remains unbeaten all-time against the Patriot League-foe, making it two-straight wins for the Bulldogs, to improve to 4-9 overall on the season. The Crusaders fall to 2-10 on the season with the loss.

A back-and-fourth battle that took extra time to determine a winner saw the Bulldogs strike first. Eleven minutes into the game, freshman Nicole Plante (Smithfield, R.I.) recorded the first marker of her collegiate career off an assist from junior Olivia Jankins (West Brookfield, Mass.).

Just over five minutes later, Holy Cross's Carly Grimaudo netted the equalizer. Grimaudo advanced the ball along the end line to sneak a shot past Bryant keeper Megan Hancock (Skowhegan, Maine) to notch her team-leading seventh goal of the season.

Both teams were held scoreless for the next 40 minutes of gameplay before Molly Feit tipped in a Carly Grimaudo helper to lift the Crusaders to a 2-1 advantage.

Junior Kayleigh Ballantyne (Gorham, Maine) answered two minutes later to tie the game once again off an intentionally wide strike from senior Brittany Vasconcelos (Tiverton, R.I.). In Bryant's two-game win streak, Ballantyne has recorded seven points (three goals and an assist).

The two teams remained knotted at, 2-2, at the end of regulation forcing the first overtime action of the season the Bulldogs. At the 75:12 mark, the Black and Gold earned their fourth and final penalty corner of the contest. Off the corner, junior Mallory Hancock (Skowhegan, Maine) delivered a pass to Bird, who gathered herself and fired a shot past Holy Cross keeper Kat Matchett to end the game, 3-2, in favor of Bryant.

The Crusaders outshot the Bulldogs, 14-11, in the contest, earning two more penalty corners (6-4) as well. Megan Hancock and Matchett both recorded five saves, while Bryant junior MaKayla Hancock (Skowhegan, Maine) registered her first defensive save of the season.

The victory marks the first set of consecutive wins for the Bulldogs this season, as they look to build on their success with two games against Northeast Conference opponents over the weekend.

Bryant welcomes Robert Morris for primetime action on Friday under the lights (7 p.m.) and Saint Francis (PA) on Sunday at 1 p.m. Both games will be held at the Bryant Turf Complex.

For all the latest information of Bryant University field hockey, visit BryantBulldogs.com.