Bulldogs fall in NEC semifinal to Robert Morris

PHILADELPHIA – Freshman Marc O'Rourke (Hingham, Mass.) was able to record a hat-trick, but it was not enough as the Bryant University men's lacrosse team fell in their Northeast Conference semifinal with Robert Morris on Thursday afternoon at Saint Joseph's University.

GAME INFORMATION

Robert Morris 12, Bryant 5

Records: Robert Morris (11-4, 4-2 NEC) Bryant (8-7, 5-1 NEC)

Location: Sweeney Field (Philadelphia, Pa.)

COACH PRESSLER'S COMMENTS

"Robert Morris won the game. They were able to play well in the second half and all credit to them. One bright spot today was Kenny Massa. He was fantastic again at the faceoff X and he ends his five-year career one of the greatest ones in Bryant history if not one of the greatest ones to ever play our game. We did not shoot the ball very well in the second half and Robert Morris had a lot to do with that.

This is one of the greatest senior classes that I've ever coached in my 35 years. I'm so fond of this group. They have been a joy to be around. Those five captains have been remarkable."

KEY MOMENT

• The Robert Morris defense was able to clamp down on Bryant's attack, keeping them scoreless during a 24:56 span that went from late in the second quarter until midway through the fourth, allowing the Colonials to pull away.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams alternated the game's first four goals, with O'Rourke and junior Kevin Quigley (Fairfax Station, Va.) scoring the two for the Bulldogs in the first 11:30 of the game.
• After the Colonials went on a three-goal run to go up three, junior Matt Heldberg (Kings Park, N.Y.) added one for the Bulldogs off an assist from senior Cam Ziegler (Carlsbad, Calif.) to cut the advantage to two.
• O'Rourke would add another tally off a feed from Ziegler to put the Black and Gold within two at the halftime break.
• Brad McCulley, Carter Yepsen and Mitchell Wales scored for Robert Morris in the third quarter, allowing them to go up five heading into the final frame.
• The freshman O'Rourke broke the scoreless stretch at the 9:03 mark of the fourth quarter, but the Colonials would add three more before the game ended to finish their advantage at 12-5.

STATS

• The Bulldogs walloped Robert Morris in the shot column, finishing with a 42-22 advantage.
• Bryant won the battle on the ground, scooping up 34 of an available 55 ground balls.
• Graduate student Kenny Massa (Huntington, N.Y.) led the Black and Gold with 12 ground balls. Ziegler chipped in four while graduate student Chaz South (Ridgefield, Conn.) scooped up three.
• Led by Massa, Bryant won 17 of the 20 faceoffs.
• Ziegler also added a pair of assists on the afternoon

GAME NOTES

• The Bulldogs have now won nine of the 12 meetings with Robert Morris.
• O'Rourke recorded his second consecutive game with three goals, and sixth overall this season.
• Massa won 85 percent of his faceoffs this afternoon, his highest since winning 86.7 percent vs. Wagner (13/15).
• Bryant's loss away from the Track and Turf Complex is just their second of the season, and their first since February 17 at Providence.