FRIAR IT UP!

Bulldogs snap losing skid with big 13-6 win over intrastate rival Providence College Tuesday at home

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Nine different Bulldogs recorded goals and 12 recorded at least one point as the Bryant University men's lacrosse team snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way Tuesday night, taking a commanding 13-6 win over intrastate rival Providence College at the Bryant Turf Complex.

Freshman Dan Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y.) scored his first-career hat trick for a game high, while senior Evan Roberts (West Cornwall, Vt.) added two goals and two assists for a contest-best four points. Roberts was one of three Bulldogs (3-4) with multi-goal games and one of six with multi-point outings, as Travis Harrington (Vestal, N.Y.) also chipped in a pair of tallies on the night.

The Bulldogs started out with a hot hand and never looked back, scoring goals on their first three shots of the game to take an early 3-0 lead over the Friars (2-4) just 2:08 into the contest.

"I was very impressed with our start today," said Bryant head coach Mike Pressler. "That is what we've been looking for in our last four games, and to get out of the box up 3-0 in the first two or three minutes got the momentum going our way and we carried it through the whole game."

Sophomore Ben Sternberg (North Kingston, R.I.) netted his first of the year after Trever Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y.) won the opening faceoff and sent the rookie a great feed out front at the 14:47 mark. Roberts and the elder Sipperly would follow with goals of their own over the next two minutes, but after a quick start, the scoring would cease for the remainder of the frame.

The younger Sipperly would pick up Bryant's hot streak just 66 seconds into the second period, scoring his first of the night, assisted by Harrington, and Harrington himself would make it 5-0 in favor of the home team with 9:06 on the clock.

Rob Maiorano (Easton, Conn.) would move the Bulldogs' margin to 6-0 before Providence finally made it onto the board with a Steve Lydon score at the 3:42 mark. But Bryant would respond soon after, with Dan Sipperly and Harrington adding back-to-back tallies to take an 8-1 advantage into the halftime break.

Frosh Matt Bletzer (Medfield, Mass.) recorded a man-up goal, his fourth score of the season, after a slow start to the second half offensively for both sides, and the Friars would score the next two – one with four seconds remaining in the third and another to open the final session – to cut Bryant's lead to 9-3.

But that was as close as PC would ever get despite finishing with four fourth-period goals, as the Black and Gold matched their opponent's efforts with four of their own in the closing 15 minutes for the 13-6 final.

"At the end of the day, it was a game we just had to have," said Pressler. "And it was a game that we had to play well offensively, without question. So scoring 13 goals against a very talented Providence team was a very good night for the Bulldogs."

The fourth frame, the highest scoring of the night with a combined eight scores, featured the first goals of 2011 for Bryant senior Chase Hayes (Greensboro, N.C.), who took a pass from JK Poirier (Coatesville, Pa.) for a doorstep shot to record Bryant's final tally, and PC's Andrew Bromley.

On the day, Bryant outshot its opponent, 33-16, including a 13-4 margin in the second quarter. Bryant won nearly every battle on the field, outplaying the Friars for ground balls, 41-26, faceoffs, 15-6, and extra man tallies, 2-0. Bryant went 2-for-5 with the man advantage while visiting Providence was scoreless in six opportunities.

"Coach [Casey] Brodersen does a great job with the man down defense," said Pressler. "We were very aggressive today and took some penalties early, which was disappointing. But with those extra man opportunities, Providence really had a chance to get back in the game, so for our man down defense to hold them out was impressive."

The Bulldogs won 15-of-21 faceoffs on the night, led by a 12-for-17 effort from Trever Sipperly. Both Sipperly and Roberts picked up a game-best five ground balls, while Bletzer, Mason Poli (Downingtown, Pa.) and Jameson Love (Darien, Conn.) each caused two turnovers (12 total as a team).

"Trever was outstanding at the faceoff X and had a big goal at the beginning, and Dan has his first career hat trick – and we felt he probably could have had a few more," said Pressler. "The Sipperly brothers certainly rose to the occasion tonight."

Bryant failed to complete just three clears (16-19) but prevented the Friars from seven (14-of-21). A trio of PC goalies put up 12 saves in the affair, led by 11 from started Chris Dzwilewski, while Love needed to make just three stops to get the win.

But now, Bryant must turn around and face arguably the toughest opponent on its schedule in a short week, as the team gets set to take on No. 10/12 Stony Brook on the road Saturday afternoon.

"We are excited to head to Long Island and play arguably the best opponent on the schedule," said Pressler. "Coming up on a short week, this is a very exciting and very difficult trip, so it's a big game for the Bulldogs."