Bulldogs set to defend NEC title in 2013

BULLDOGS READY TO DEFEND TITLE IN 2013; KICK OFF SEASON AT HOME VS. NO. 10/11 COLGATE SUNDAY (1 P.M.)

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – In a season that will see the first-ever Northeast Conference automatic bid into the NCAA tournament, the Bryant University men's lacrosse team is ready to defend its conference tournament title and is eager to take the 2013 season head on.

And while the Black and Gold may have some questions still looming when they take the field at the Bryant Turf Complex in Sunday's season opener against No. 10/11 Colgate (1 p.m.), after finishing the 2012 season 14-4 overall, head coach Mike Pressler is confident, and ready to see what his 2013 Bulldogs can do against some of the toughest competition around.

He won't have to wait long for his team's first big test, as the first of three-straight contests against nationally ranked opponents kicks off the season – Bryant's third with full NCAA eligibility – Sunday in Smithfield against the Red Raiders.

"We think we enjoyed a pretty good season last year," said Pressler. "Colgate had a better one."

The Red Raiders, who won the Patriot League regular-season title before upsetting UMass on the road in the NCAA tournament behind the nation's top scorer in senior Peter Baum, are poised to be back stronger than ever in 2013, as Sunday marks the first game of Colgate's season, as well.

"They have the best player in college lacrosse right now," said Pressler. "We are all aware of No. 15, but Colgate has some other players on offense that can hurt you just as much. But one way Colgate is very similar to Bryant is that they are very much in flux in goal. They were having a goalie battle in the preseason, just like we were."

This is the second meeting in as many years between the Bulldogs and the Red Raiders, after the sides faced off in last year's season starter – a 10-8 Colgate victory in Hamilton, N.Y.

"A year ago, we went up there in our first game of the year with a lot of new faces in the starting lineup, and we made it a one-goal game late," said Pressler. "We truly believe we are better than we were last year at this time, but I think Colgate thinks they are better than they were a year ago, also.

"I have so much respect for Coach Murphy in his first year," Pressler continued. "I've seen him grow through his years as a coach, and he is without question a rising star as a head coach at the Division I level. And with that said, the Red Raiders are one of the top teams in the country, and we are going to have to play very smart, very well and very hard to have a chance to beat these guys."

But in 2013, outcomes could ride on more than just how well the Bulldogs respond to their competition. It will also depend on how the Black and Gold respond to the new rules put in place for the first time this year.

"In my opinion, the rules have made the game faster than ever, which I think will be exciting for many of our old fans, but also for a lot of our new fans," said Pressler. "The most intriguing part is going to be the end of the game, with the two-minute "keep-it-in" rule basically abolished and replaced with the potential application of a shot clock for teams that stall. We've planned and practiced for the new rules, but we are all just guessing as to how it's going to play out, because nobody has played an official game with the new rules yet."

Luckily for the Bulldogs, personnel changes will be less of a distraction, with the top lines at both attack and close defense returning fully intact for the 2013 campaign. Bryant also returns two first-line midfielders and arguably the top longpole in the nation in senior Mason Poli (Downingtown, Pa.).

But Bryant does have questions, the first and greatest of which starts at the heart of the team in the most solitary and important of positions – between the pipes.

GOAL
The graduation of four-year starting goalie Jameson Love – the only starter the Bulldogs have had in net in the Division I era – leaves a huge hole to fill, but Bryant isn't lacking in replacement options.

"The one position that was in flux coming into the preseason was in goal – that was our biggest question mark," said Pressler. "So like we did four years ago [when Love first arrived], we had a very intense, very competitive battle between four very capable goaltenders, a battle that started at the beginning of fall ball and went the entirety of preseason.

"We have four very different players, four very capable players and, most importantly, four very quality young men fighting for the job," Pressler continued. "And at the end of the day, we made a decision based on our scrimmage last week. Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.) won the job last Saturday on the field."

Physically, Waldt – a 5-foot-11, 245-pound sophomore – couldn't be more opposite the small-framed, 175-pound NEC Defensive Player of the Year he is replacing. But in terms of his performance in the cage, Waldt has proven himself a top-tier stopper who can help run the team on the field and keep the Bulldogs at the top of the NCAA's defensive rankings.

But should Waldt need relief, the Bulldogs have three other netminders ready for the call. The most experienced on the depth chart is junior Niko Dutra (Danville, Calif.), who saw limited minutes in three appearances last season. Sophomore Ethan Kibrick (Manalapan, N.J.) and rookie Tom Carey (New Canaan, Conn.) also offer strong options for Pressler and the Bulldogs, should the need arise.

CLOSE DEFENSE
Led by senior all-conference selection Glenn Maiorano (Easton, Conn.), the starting poles of Maiorano, junior Matt MacGrotty (New Westminster, British Columbia) and sophomore Connor Dent (Havertown, Pa.) are back together again after running one of the most effective defenses in the country a season ago, as the Bulldogs finished the year ranked eighth in scoring defense (7.67 goals allowed per game), ninth in caused turnovers per game (8.50), 10th in man-down defense (.746) and first in Division I in ground balls per game (37.28).

"We are very fortunate that our starting trio at the close defense returns from a year ago," said Pressler. "All three are a different type of defenseman, but they have molded together as a unit, they have great confidence in each other, and they have a great feel for each other on the field."

The youngest of three Maiorano Bulldogs (eldest brother Rob graduated in 2012), sophomore Kevin Maiorano (Easton, Conn.) will also see time filling in at close defense in 2013.

"Kevin Maiorano is our most improved player from a year ago," said Pressler. "Kevin has worked his tail off to get into the rotation as our fourth defensemen."

DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD
The Bulldogs return a plethora of experience in the defensive midfield, headlined by Poli, a 2012 Tewaaraton Trophy semifinalist and 2013 Preseason All-American.

"Mason Poli is the face of our program right now because of his unique ability to generate offense in transition, off the ground and from the wing on the faceoff," said Pressler.

Behind Poli, rookie and local product Cody O'Donnell (Smithfield, R.I.) looks to file into the second longpole slot, thanks his performance in the Bulldogs' preseason scrimmage Feb. 2 against St. John's and Hartford, while senior Teddy Mason (Fairfield, Conn.) has played his way into the conversation as well.

"Cody, our Rhode Island native from LaSalle Academy, might be our best cover LSM," said Pressler. "And then there is Teddy Mason – another steady, rock solid longpole who has logged a lot of quality minutes for us."

Senior captain Ben Sternberg (North Kingstown, R.I.) leads the Bulldogs' shortstick defensive midfield unit, a position where he has started for much of the last three seasons.

"Ben brings us a lot of experience, and he has been one of our most consistently solid, reliable players during his career as a defensive middie," Pressler said. "Ben is not necessarily great at one thing, but he's good at everything."

Speedy redshirt-senior JK Poirier (Coatesville, Pa.), back from an injury that sidelined him for the entire 2012 season, will provide a different kind of presence at shortstick defensive midfield, while utility players Rob Goeren (Massapequa, N.Y.) and Bruce Pirie (Oakland, N.J.) offer support at both the faceoff X and the midfield while adding defensive depth off the bench as well.

"JK is our fastest, most athletic shortstick defensive midfielder, and with each day, his confidence and understanding of his new position continues to grow," Pressler said. "JK is going to log a lot of minutes for us this season."

FACEOFF
Of all its 2012 storylines, Bryant may have had none bigger than that of faceoff specialist Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.).

The 2012 Northeast Conference and NEILA Rookie of the Year, Massa is the top returning faceoff man in the nation this season after finishing his freshman campaign third overall with a .639 faceoff winning percentage. Massa went 257-of-402 from the X during his rookie season, taking all but nine of Bryant's faceoffs throughout the 18-game slate.

Massa, who also finished fourth in the nation in ground balls per game (7.61), added two tallies with nine assists in 2012 and has continued to work hard to improve his game in the offseason.

"In all my career, I can't remember a player who enjoyed a greater first-year campaign than Kevin Massa," said Pressler. "His numbers were incredible, and credit for that not only goes to Kevin himself, but also to Coach Casey Brodersen for his tutelage of Kevin. We are happy to have him back bigger, stronger and more determined than ever entering his sophomore year."

Massa will be backed up by freshman transfer Jack Clippinger (Stamford, Conn.), who joins the Bulldogs after a semester at the University of Denver.

"We recruited Jack unsuccessfully two years ago," said Pressler. "Things didn't work out at Denver, and now we welcome him back to Bryant. Jack has been nicked up, so we haven't seen him much in the preseason, but we expect him to be full strength soon, and that gives us added depth behind Massa."

MIDFIELD
Another place the Bulldogs have a hole to fill is in the midfield, where they are without four-year starter Max Weisenberg for the first time in the Division I era. Weisenberg finished his senior campaign third on the squad in points (33), with 19 goals and 14 assists and started all but a single game over the past three seasons.

Still, Bryant returns arguably its top scoring threat in now-junior Colin Dunster (Cos Cob, Conn.), who saw a breakout season last year as a sophomore, posting a team-leading 36 goals and pacing the side with 50 points. Dunster didn't waste any time last season leaving his mark, either, scoring four goals in the 2012 opener on the road at Colgate.

"Colin Dunster enjoyed a remarkable season a year ago," said Pressler, "and we are returning five of our six starters on the first two lines."

Also returning from last year's starting midfield is junior Alex Zomerfeld (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) (19 goals, 10 assists), while an intact second unit returns in the trio of Bo Redpath (Norwich, Vt.), Kyle Crowley (Scituate, Mass.) and Brian Schlansker (Glenville, N.Y.).

"Probably our best overall player in the preseason was Alex Zomerfeld," said Pressler, "but we are thrilled with Kyle Crowley, Bo Redpath and Brian Schlansker, who is maybe the best shooter of the bunch."

The midfield ranks go deeper than that quintet, too, and a pair of new faces will challenge for the remaining spot among the top six.

"Two freshmen who have really separated themselves early in their careers here are Collins Gantz (Denver, Colo.) and Tyler Kemeny (Richmond, Va.)," said Pressler. "Those young men, in addition to Kevin Rudd (Berwyn, Pa.) and Robby Cordisco (Redding, Conn.), will all be competing for that one spot remaining in the first two lines."

ATTACK
Just as they have on defense, the Bulldogs return in 2013 with their top attacking line intact from a season ago. Senior Peter McMahon (Wilton, Conn.), now in his second season as a Bryant captain, leads the unit after pacing the Black and Gold with 25 assists last season and finishing second on the team in both goals (23) and total points (48).

"Peter has enjoyed the best preseason of his Bryant career this year," said Pressler. "In my recent memory, I'm not sure I've had a senior attackman more ready to go than Peter is this season."

McMahon returns alongside fellow 18-game starter and current junior Dan Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y.), who was named to the NEC All-Tournament Team and totaled 20 goals and eight helpers in 2012, as well as senior Cody Isdaner (Gladwyne, Pa.), one of two lefty attack on the roster.

"Dan Sipperly is a three-year starter for us with not only incredible skill, but the experience to back it," said Pressler. "Not only can Dan beat you off the dodge, but he is an outstanding player without it, too."

Isdaner, a Wagner transfer now in his second season with the Bulldogs, scored 26 points a year ago, including 19 tallies. He won't be handed the job, however, with junior lefty Matt Bletzer (Medfield, Mass.) and sophomore Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.) fighting for their own chance to prove they belong on the starting line.

"Shane Morrell should be mentioned in the same breath as Kevin Maiorano when it comes to most improved," Pressler said. "He has had a remarkable preseason. The ball is going in the goal for him. He has a great attitude and is a very coachable player – Shane is going to play a lot starting this weekend."

Senior two-time captain Nils Thompson (Alberta, Canada) and junior Ryan Jarvis (Annapolis, Md.) are also in the mix for a team that ranked in the nation's top 10 in both points per game and scoring offense in 2012.

In fact, the Bulldogs finished last season ranked in the nation's top 10 in eight different categories, falling in the top five in ground balls per game (1st), faceoff percentage (2nd), scoring margin (3rd) and win percentage (5th).

But come Sunday, none of it matters.

On Sunday, at the sound of that first whistle that kicks off the 2013 season, it all comes back around. The slates get wiped clean, and a new season – with new stars, new surprises and new storylines – starts again.