Last-second goal lifts Brown to 8-7 win

BULLDOGS STUMBLE AGAINST RHODE ISLAND RIVAL, DROP 8-7 DECISION TO BROWN TUESDAY NIGHT

SMITHFIELD, R.I. — With 37 seconds left in regulation in a 7-7 deadlock, Brendan Caputo took a pass from teammate Alex Jones and fired a shot that would prove to be the game winner, as intrastate rival Brown took home the Ocean State Cup on the back of an 8-7 victory over the Bryant University men's lacrosse team Tuesday night.

The Bears (7-6) would use a five-goal run spanning the second and third quarters to overcome a 5-2 deficit and take a 7-5 lead over the host Bulldogs (5-10) with five minutes left to play in the third stanza. Bryant attack Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.) would score with two ticks left in the frame to cut Brown's margin down to one, 7-6, and would get his third unassisted tally of the night with nine to go in the contest to knot the game at 7-7.

But the Bulldogs would fail to capitalize on a two-man advantage with just over six minutes to play in the fourth, and Brown would convert one of six fourth-quarter Bryant turnovers for the last-minute score that decided Tuesday's in-state bout.

Morrell picked up four points and had three of Bryant's goals, his first coming with 5:08 to play in the opening stanza to give the home side a 3-2 advantage. The marker was the front of a three-goal stretch entering the second period, as Morrell would assist on a Peter McMahon (Wilton, Conn.) tally just 47 seconds into the frame.

Kyle Crowley (Scituate, Mass.) would give the Black and Gold their largest lead of the game, 5-2, just 30 seconds later in unassisted fashion, but it was the last time the Bulldogs would get on the board for nearly two full quarters.

Both teams struggled with crisp play throughout the contest, combining for 38 turnovers with each side failing four clears. Brown outshot the Bulldogs, 34-29, and went 2-for-3 on man-up opportunities. Bryant got strong play from Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.) in goal, the redshirt-freshman making 14 saves with four ground balls, while sophomore Kevin Massa (Huntington, N.Y.) was once again superb at the faceoff X, winning 15-of-18 chances. His 13 ground balls paced the Bulldogs to a 39-27 margin for the night.

Bryant also saw goals from junior Dan Sipperly (Greenwich, N.Y.) and Bo Redpath (Norwich, Vt.) on the day.

The Bulldogs must now look past the disappointing outing to the all-important Northeast Conference regular-season finale Saturday afternoon at Bulldog Stadium. Bryant will welcome Sacred Heart to Smithfield on Senior Day at 1 p.m. in a game that will decide NEC Tournament hosting rights.