Bryant hosts RMU in NEC showdown Saturday

BULLDOGS LOOK TO EVEN SERIES AGAINST ROBERT MORRIS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT HOME

SMITHFIELD, R.I. — The Bryant University men's lacrosse team looks to remain unbeaten in Northeast Conference action Saturday afternoon, as the Bulldogs play host to rival Robert Morris at the Bryant Turf Complex at 1 p.m.

Both the Bulldogs (2-8) and the Colonials (5-4) started out NEC play with a win last Saturday, with Bryant taking a 17-7 victory over Quinnipiac and RMU trumping Wagner, 22-6. All three previous meetings between these two sides have been decided by a single score, with Robert Morris coming out on top in the two most recent matchups, 16-15 in Rhode Island in 2011 and 13-12 last year in Pennsylvania. The Black and Gold came away with the series opener back in 2010, 15-14, in double overtime on the road.

The pairing has been a heated rivalry throughout the young history of the NEC, and a season ago, league tournament hosting rights came down to the regular-season finale between the two teams, with the Colonials edging out the 13-12 win on their home turf. This time around, the Bulldogs hope to get a W that will come back to mean just as much at season's end.

"This is probably the toughest road game for each team simply because we are the farthest apart — Rhode Island to Pittsburgh," said head coach Mike Pressler, who earned his 300th-career victory with last Saturday's win. "So there is definitely a home field advantage just based on the bus trip. But overall, I think this is one of the most balanced Robert Morris teams we've seen in the last three years."

The Colonials boast five double-digit scorers, led by Jake Hayes's team-high 19 goals and 28 points. Dave Morton adds 18 with four helpers, while Taylor Graves leads the side with 11 dishes to compliment eight scores. Eric Rankel sits second in points scored off 15 tallies and eight helpers. In total, 15 different players have recorded at least one goal this season.

"When I think of Robert Morris as a program, I think of them as one of the most prolific offensive teams in the country, and their 2013 team is no exception," said Pressler. "Their first six offensive players are a handful in the box, so for us to be successful at home Saturday, we have to find a way to defend the team in red."

The defensive trio of Matt MacGrotty (New Westminster, British Columbia), Glenn Maiorano (Easton, Conn.) and Connor Dent (Havertown, Pa.) will look to do just that, having caused 35 turnovers and picked up 70 ground balls between them entering Saturday's outing.

But for the ball to even get to the Bulldog defense, Robert Morris will have to find a way past reigning NEC Player of the Week Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.), who is coming off a 24-of-28 performance at the faceoff X against Quinnipiac last time out and boasts a .696 faceoff winning percentage in 2013. Massa adds 122 ground balls to his yearlong statistics, a category in which he leads the nation.

The Colonials will use a pair of players at the X, as Nicholas Beaudoin posts a .482 mark (54-112) and Rankel has gone 31-of-89 (.348) at the faceoff so far this season. Beaudoin paces the side with 28 ground balls.

Between the pipes, RMU will look to Charles Ruppert as a backstop. Ruppert has started all nine contests for the Colonials and boasts a 9.86 goals against average with 86 saves on the year and a .535 save percentage.

A Bulldog offense that has been gaining momentum rapidly as of late will look to put a damper on those stats, led by a trio of 20-point scorers in juniors Alex Zomerfeld (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) and Colin Dunster (Cos Cob, Conn.) and redshirt-freshman Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.). Morrell and Dunster are tied for the team lead in goals with 15 apiece and sit second and third in scoring with 22 and 21 points, respectively. Zomerfeld's 23 points paces the Black and Gold (14 goals, 9 assists), while senior captain Peter McMahon (Wilton, Conn.) has dished out a side-high 12 helpers for 17 points in 2013.

"We have to continue the momentum we gained in the Quinnipiac game and carry it into our second-consecutive NEC Saturday," said Pressler. "And we have done that through this week of practice. But for us to be successful in this one, we have to play 60 full minutes at both ends of the field and especially in the middle."

Saturday's game kicks off at 1 p.m. at the Bryant Turf Complex. Can't make it to the game? Watch all the action LIVE and free of charge at NECfrontrow.com.