MLAX downs Wagner, 15-6; 3-0 in NEC

BULLDOGS WINNING STREAK HITS FOUR WITH 15-6 WIN OVER WAGNER

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Redshirt freshman Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.), junior Colin Dunster (Cos Cob, Conn.) and senior Cody Isdaner (Gladwyne, Pa.) all recorded hat tricks as the Bryant University men's lacrosse team made it four in a row and moved to 3-0 in Northeast Conference play with a 15-6 win over Wagner on Saturday afternoon.

The Bulldogs (5-8, 3-0 NEC) received goals from seven different sources as they defeated the Seahawks (1-10, 0-3) each of the last five seasons.

"We are very excited to be 3-0 and to have these three wins behind us," said head coach Mike Pressler. "We are in the drivers seat in the NEC, we control our own fate and the boys are very excited about that."

In what was a relatively close game in the first and fourth quarters, the Bulldogs broke it open with six goals in each of the second and third quarters. Dunster's first tally of the afternoon with 4:02 remaining in the first quarter broke a 1-1 tie and started a string of six-consecutive Bulldog goals. Junior Alex Zomerfeld (Port Jefferson, N.Y.) potted a man-up goal just 1:36 into the second quarter to extend the lead to 3-1 and Dunster finished his hat trick with a pair of goals during the stretch.

It was more of the same in the second half as the Bulldogs outscored the Seahawks 6-2 in the third quarter. Morrell, Zomerfeld and Isdaner all scored within two and a half minutes of each other to give the Black and Gold a commanding 11-2 lead. Wagner finally found the board with two-straight goals but a pair of Peter McMahon (Wilton, Conn.) goals over the final six minutes of the quarter pushed the Bryant lead back to 14-4. Both of McMahon's tallies were assisted by Morrell. McMahon returned the favor in the fourth quarter as he set up Morrell for the hat trick and Bryant's final tally of the game.

Morrell continued his scoring tear with five points (3g, 2a) and now has recorded 23 points in his last six games. McMahon matched Morrell with five points on two goals and three assists. Both Dunster and Isdaner finished with four points. Sophomore Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.) was dominant in the X, winning 19-of-22 faceoffs on the afternoon. In goal, redshirt freshman Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.) made 10 saves to earn his fourth-straight victory.

"We're just playing better overall," said Pressler of Bryant's strong play of late. "We have the lineup figured out, Gunnar Waldt has been giving us a great consistent effort in the goal, we are doing a great job at the defensive end and our offense has been consistent."

The Bulldogs now head into the final week of the season with one of their biggest tests of the season as they head to Emmitsburg, Md., to face Mount St. Mary's on Saturday, April 20.