BULLDOGS TAKE ON HOLY CROSS IN SEASON FINALE WEDNESDAY NIGHT, LOOK FOR 10TH WIN TO CLOSE OUT INAUGURAL DIVISION I SEASON (7 p.m.)
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
BULLDOGS TAKE ON HOLY CROSS IN SEASON FINALE WEDNESDAY NIGHT, LOOK FOR 10TH WIN TO CLOSE OUT INAUGURAL DIVISION I SEASON
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University men's lacrosse team has already achieved its top team goal (a winning season), earned votes in both national polls (receiving a pair this week from the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll) and impressed the likes of Division I coaches across the country.
But Wednesday night at the Turf Complex, in Bryant's season finale and 2009 Senior Night against Holy Cross, the Bulldogs will look to reach another plateau in their inaugural Division I season - earning double-digit wins with their 10th victory of the year.
"We reached goal No. 1, to get our eighth win and our winning season," said Bulldog head coach Mike Pressler. "To get No. 10 and double digits in a lacrosse season when you only play 15 games - double digits equal success. To come out in our first year of Division I competition and reach that milestone, it would be a great accomplishment for the '09 Bulldog lacrosse team and the Bryant program."
But more than just another win, and another winning streak to end the season on, will be on the minds of the Bulldog team come Wednesday night. Because it will also be the night that 40 underclassmen and four coaches say goodbye to nine graduating seniors who will be playing their final game in a Bryant uniform.
"The Class of 2009 is a group I'm very fond of for so many reasons," said Pressler. "We've been together for three years now, since they were sophomores, and they've been the core of our team for the last three years, as players, as leaders, as quality young men.
"Three years ago when I came to Bryant, they bought into the change wholeheartedly," he added. "And for that, they've had my loyalty from Day One. It'll be hard to see them go."
Everyone, coaching staff included, is hoping to send their seniors off on a positive note - with a win over Holy Cross. And the team should be amped up to do just that.
"I think the seniors will certainly be ready to go," Pressler said. "And I just want the underclassmen to understand what these nine guys have meant to the program over the last three years and to do everything in their power to make sure they go out on top."
But for everyone, regardless of class, Wednesday marks the closing of the first year in a new era for Bryant lacrosse, one that featured so many highs in a season that shocked much of the Division I world.
"Boy did this year go by fast," Pressler said of his team's inaugural DI season. "It seems like we played Virginia yesterday. But like anything else, when it's going by quickly, it's going by well."
And while emotions may run high before even the first whistle, the Bulldogs (9-5) cannot get distracted. Pressler doesn't see this as a problem, though, as his team is well-versed in the havoc the Crusaders (3-11) can play on the field, despite their record.
"We've seen Holy Cross on tape, and we have a lot of respect for Adam Pascal and his program," said Pressler. "They've got a couple of good wins this year and they have played teams like Army and Navy very tough.
"They have some quality players at every position, and they certainly play well together," he continued. "They're coming off a tough year right now with one game to go, and we're expecting their best here Wednesday night."
And with Wednesday night's contest also serving as the Crusaders' 2009 season finale, Holy Cross will be looking to end its season on a high note of its own.
The Crusaders are led on the year by freshman Colin McGeehin, who has a team-high 21 goals and six assists (team-best 27 points), as Holy Cross enters the game off back-to-back losses to Patriot League rival Lehigh (7-5 loss) and No. 17 Harvard (11-4 loss).
To help McGeehin on the offensive end are Chris Smirti and Kenny Minor, the only other Crusaders to register double-digit goals on the season with 18 and 15, respectively. Conor McKenna has dished out a squad-high 11 helpers on the year and is one of six with double-figure points.
Brendan Candon has collected a team-high 42 ground balls, while A.J. Guarente is just 28.7 percent (46-of-114) from the faceoff.
"Our success all starts with Andrew Hennessey at the faceoff X," said Pressler of his faceoff specialist, also the nation's top faceoff guy with a 70.5 percent success rate. "If he continues to dominate there, that means we're gonna have the ball on offense."
Hennessey (Wading River, N.Y.) also leads the Bulldogs in ground balls, collecting a nationally third-ranked 7.93 per game.
"Defensively," added Pressler, "we have to understand who their key players are and do a great job defending them."
That task will fall largely on the shoulders of freshman netminder Jameson Love (Darien, Conn.), who has had a stellar rookie campaign, sporting a 9.18 goals against average (No. 31 nationally) and a .548 save percentage on the year (No. 29).
He will be helped by a Bryant defense that allows 9.07 goals per game, equal to 39 less tallies than the Bulldogs have scored (11.86 per outing).
Between the posts for Holy Cross, the Crusaders will rely on Jimmy Harrison and his .566 save percentage in 14 games this season (9.68 goals against average).
On the year, the Crusaders have been outscored, 149-95, allowing opponents 36.3 shots on goal per contest. The Bulldogs enter the game averaging 38.5 shots on goals per game.
As a team, Bryant ranks seventh nationally in scoring offense (11.86 goals/game), 14th in scoring margin (+2.79), fourth in assists per game (7.57), tied for second in ground balls per outing (42.57) and fifth in points per game (19.43).
The Bulldogs are led by the top attack line of Zack Greer (Whitby, Ont.), Kevin Hoagland (Glastonbury, Conn.) and Bryan Kaufmann (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) - all graduating seniors - and will bid goodbye to the remainder of the Class of 2009, Brad Burkhardt, Jim Long, Matt McKeefrey, Sean Pasley, Alex Pfau and Matt Tyburski, Wednesday night at 7 p.m.