Bulldogs and Bears vie for Ocean State Cup

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- The Bryant University women's lacrosse team returns to the Turf Complex Tuesday night to host intrastate rival Brown University in the third-annual Ocean State Cup (7 p.m.).

The Bulldogs (1-5) are winless against the Bears (3-3) in three previous meetings and look to win their first Ocean State Cup since the rivalry's founding in 2009. Last season, Bryant visited Providence, R.I., but suffered a 14-4 defeat at the hands of Brown.

The Bears enter Smithfield fresh off a 20-15 win over Bryant's fellow Northeast Conference member Quinnipiac at home Sunday and have taken on a pair of nationally ranked opponents in then-#14 Ohio State (16-3 loss) and then-#14 Princeton (18-8 loss). Brown has also taken victories over league foe Columbia, 14-10, and on the road at Manhattan, 9-2.

Offensively, Kaela McGilloway paces the Bears, leading the team in goals, 12, assists, 10, and points, 22. Bre Hudgins also contributes double-digit goals six games into the team's 2012 campaign, scoring 11 and adding a pair of helpers. Danielle Mastro (12 points) and Julia Keller (10 points) round out Brown's double-figure point getters, while Grace Healy's seven points (5 goals, 2 assists) finishes out the side's top-5 scorers. Healy leads Tuesday's visitors with 18 draw controls while Hudgins's nine ground balls mark a side best.

On the defensive end, Erin Roos has forced a team-leading 11 caused turnovers and chips in seven ground balls. She fronts a Bear defense that is anchored by a pair of goalies in Kellie Roddy and Isabel Harvey.

Roddy is 0-1 on the year with nearly 200 minutes between the pipes in six appearances this season. She enters the game with a 12.24 goals against average and a .355 save percentage. Her counterpart has appeared in goal five times in 2012 with has played fewer minutes with 163 under her belt. Harvey's 11.75 goals against average and .373 save percentage top Roddy's slightly, and Harvey boasts a 2-2 record on the year.

The Bulldogs will throw their top-scoring duo of Lauren Sheridan (Bethpage, N.Y.) and Haley Bloom (Hauppauge, N.Y.) at the goaltending tandem, and the pair has combined for 27 of the team's 65 points so far this season. Both have found the net 12 times, while Bloom chips in two assists to Sheridan's one for a team-high 14 points.

Sophomore Lisa Vendel (Sandy Hook, Conn.) and senior captain Mary Green (Merrick, N.Y.) each boast seven goals and are both coming off a strong week that saw the Bulldogs earn their first win of the year, 17-8, over Presbyterian College and stage a second-half run to force overtime on the road against Siena despite a 9-8 loss in extra time.

One of the team's top stories again this season, though, is the play of senior captain and starting goalkeeper Lauren Filippone (West Babylon, N.Y.), who enters the game as both the reigning NEC Goalkeeper of the Year and Defensive Player of the Week, her second such honor of the 2012 season.

Filippone posted a 6.58 goals against average and .606 save percentage on a 1-1 stretch last week and sports a 9.54 goals against average and .555 save percentage in six starts on the year. She averages 11.8 stops per outing and has a team-best 23 ground balls.

Tuesday's game will be broadcast live on the Bulldog Sports Network at www.bryantbulldogs.tv.