Bryant blitzes Merrimack in NEC opener, 20-8

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's lacrosse team received hat tricks from four different individuals as it opened Northeast Conference play with a resounding 20-8 victory over Merrimack on Saturday afternoon at Beirne Stadium.

Logan McGovern paced the Black and Gold with four goals and three assists, while Mason Drouin (3g), Jake Buonaiuto (3g, 1a) and Aidan Goltz (4g) all recorded hat tricks. Bennett Abladian finished with a career-high five points (1g, 4a) and Trevor Weingarten registered three points (2g, 1a). 

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 20, Merrimack 8
Records: Bryant (3-1, 1-0) | Merrimack (1-2, 0-1)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)

Coach Pressler's Comments
"First and foremost, it was a very challenging week with COVID issues and injuries spread out through the lineup. Fortunately, we had a couple of days to figure out who was in and who was out and made the necessary adjustments to put our best team on the field vs a very good Merrimack team. I was impressed by our discipline today and our ability to have so many young guys step up when we needed them the most as conference play begins. Today was a great team win on both sides of the ball."

Key Moment

• Clinging to a 4-3 lead after the first quarter, Abladian and Goltz scored within 90 seconds of each other to open a 6-3 lead. The Bulldogs would go on to outscore the Warriors 6-1 in the second quarter.  

How It Happened

• Mason Drouin got the Bulldogs on the board first during the first two minutes of play.
• Merrimack found the back of the net four minutes after the Drouin's goal, but it wasn't long before Aidan Goltz snuck one past the Merrimack defense a minute later.
• The Merrimack brother duo of Tommy and Jack Rooney scored two-straight followed by back-to-back goals for the Bulldogs from Jake Buonaiuto and Logan McGovern to close out the first quarter. Bryant led by a slim margin, 4-3, at the end of the first 15 minutes.
• The Bulldogs opened the second quarter with two straight unassisted goals from Abladian and Goltz. The Warriors responded less than a minute later before the Bulldogs poured in four goals before the end of the half, 10-4.
• Buonaiuto found the stick of Trevor Weingarten who fired it into the back of the net to open the scoring in the second half.
• After Weingarten's goal, the Bulldogs went on to outscore Merrimack, 3-2, to close out the third frame with an eight-goal cushion, 14-6.
• Bryant netted three-straight at the start of the fourth quarter but the run was broken up by Merrimack with 11:27 left to play in the game.
• Less than 20 seconds later, Jon Miller scooped a ground ball off the faceoff and sprinted past the Merrimack defense and fired it into the back of the net. Goltz followed the goal with an unassisted mark of his own to grow Bryant's lead, 19-7.
• Merrimack's Drew Hailey netted one last goal for the Warriors before Drouin capitalized on a man-up opportunity to close out the game, 20-8.

Stats

• McGovern led the Bryant offense with four goals and three assists for a total of seven points. He finished the game with nine shots and eight on frame.
• Goltz matched McGovern with four goals and nine shots. Six of his attempts were on goal.
• Both Buonaiuto and Drouin posted hat tricks.
• Weingarten added two goals and an assist.
• Sam Goforth, Jake Fiske, Abladian and Miller each added one goal apiece.
• Abladian tallied one goal and game-high four assists.
• Nathan Laliberte led the team with six ground balls.
• Luke Caracciolo faced 17 shots and stopped nine.
• Bryant outshot Merrimack, 61-23.
• Laliberte and Jacob Alexander combined to go 20-for-32 at the faceoff X.
• Bryant finished the game 3-for-7 on man-up opportunities. 
• The Bulldogs committed a season-low 13 turnovers. 

Games Notes

• Bryant improves to 3-0 at Beirne Stadium this season.
• Bryant scored 20+ goals for the first time since March 17, 2018 against Mount St. Mary's.
• Bryant registered 60+ shots for the first time since March 16, 2013 against No. 19 Albany (67).
• McGovern finished one point shy of his career high.
• McGovern has registered multiple points in all four games this season.  
• Abladian registered a career-high four assists.
• Drouin recorded his first-career hat trick.
• Buonaiuto netted his first hat trick of the season. 
• Miller notched his first-career goal and now has three points in the last two games.  

Up Next
The Bulldogs wrap up their three-game homestand next Saturday when they welcome Mount St. Mary's to Beirne Stadium. Faceoff is set for 12:00 p.m.