Field hockey continues NEC play

BULLDOGS HOST PAIR OF CONFERENCE OPPONENTS OVER WEEKEND

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University field hockey team will look to stay red hot as they welcome a pair of Northeast Conference opponents to Smithfield over the weekend.

After defeating NEC-foe Siena on Sunday, 5-1, and Holy Cross on Tuesday, 3-2 in overtime, the Bulldogs will play host to Robert Morris (3-9, 1-1 NEC) on Friday under the lights (7 p.m.) and Saint Francis (PA) (7-4, 1-0 NEC) on Sunday at 1 p.m.

Bryant notched its second-straight victory Tuesday evening in Worcester, Mass., marking the first back-to-back wins for the Bulldogs this season.

Tuesday was a back-and-fourth battle that took extra time to determine a winner. The Black and Gold were able to get on the board 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 Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand), who gathered herself and fired a shot past Holy Cross keeper Kat Matchett to end the game, 3-2, in favor of Bryant.

On Friday, the Bulldogs welcome Robert Morris to Smithfield for a 7 p.m. matchup on the Turf. The Colonials began the season with a 3-1 record through the first four games, but has have since lost their last eight contests, including an overtime loss to Rider on Sunday to open NEC play. Sophomore Jamie Hartley leads her team with 16 points on four goals and eight assists, while class mate Taleah Scott and freshman Jess Martin-Brown has each recorded 12 points each.  Last October, Bird scored twice for the Bulldogs en route to a 2-1 overtime victory over the Colonials.

Sunday, Bryant will faceoff with NEC powerhouse Saint Francis (PA) in a 1 p.m. match in Smithfield. The Red Flash enter the season at 7-4, winning four of their last five decisions, most recently defeating Monmouth, 4-0, in their first conference action of the year. SFU is led by a pair of sophomores, Carissa Makea and Autumn Pellman, who have each recorded nine goals through 11 games. Katelyn Vitali handles the duties in net for the Red Flash, posting a 1.45 goals against average and a .784 save percentage.

The Bulldogs will look to stay unbeaten at home over the weekend with NEC play officially in full swing.

For links to streaming video and live stats of weekend action and all the latest on Bryant University field hockey, visit BryantBulldogs.com.