Three record hat tricks, Bulldogs pick up 12-8 win over CCSU in NEC opener Friday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Three Bulldogs recorded hat tricks and the Bryant University women's lacrosse team never trailed Friday in a 12-8 win over Central Connecticut to open 2015 Northeast Conference action.

The Bulldogs (7-3, 1-0 NEC) saw a trio of goals out of the sticks of sophomore Emily Columbus (East Northport, N.Y.), junior Lauren Descalzo (Hauppauge, N.Y.) and senior Shannon Burns (Mount Sinai, N.Y.), while junior Nicole Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) paced the game with six points off two goals and four assists.

The Blue Devils (3-7, 0-1) got four scores from sophomore Alexandra Hooker and two more from junior Madison Hughes in the loss.

Bryant set the tempo right out of the gates, scoring two quick goals from Britton and Descalzo for a 2-0 edge less than 90 seconds into the contest. Hooker would respond for the visiting Blue Devils, but the Bulldogs would rip off three straight from three different sources – another from Britton and Descalzo, as well as the second score of the season from sophomore Shannon Sullivan (Farmingdale, N.Y.) – for a 5-1 lead through the opening 13 minutes.

CCSU would respond in kind, though, over the next six minutes, getting a tally from Hughes before back-to-back scores from Hooker pulled the visitors within one, 5-4, with 5:50 left in the opening frame.

Descalzo and Columbus would each find the back of the net once more before the break – sandwiching the fourth score from Hooker – to send the hosts into the intermission with a 7-5 advantage.

The Blue Devils cut their deficit to one goal once more out of the break with an unassisted Hughes goal less than three minutes into the second, but it was as close as the visitors would get in the outing. Columbus renewed a two-goal cushion for the Bulldogs three minutes later, and Burns would find real estate behind CCSU goalie Morgan Tullar twice in less than a three-minute span thanks to passes from junior Morgan LaBarbera (New Fairfield, Conn.) and Britton to bring the clock below the 20-minute mark with a 10-6 lead.

Both teams would get back on the board twice in the final 13 minutes of the contest, but the four-goal margin would hold for a 12-8 final.

The Black and Gold won the battle in nearly every category, outshooting the Blue Devils, 27-16, while also winning the margins for ground balls, 18-12, and draw controls, 14-8. Burns led the way with a game-high five draw control wins, while Britton picked up another four.

Sophomore defenders Carly Cronin (Feeding Hills, Mass.) and Molly Martin (Island Park, N.Y.) were also spectacular, recording five ground balls and two caused turnovers, and three ground balls and four caused turnovers, respectively.

Rookie goalie Samantha Santeramo (Wantagh, N.Y.) earned the win for the Bulldogs (3 saves), while Tullar turned away nine despite taking the loss.

The Bulldogs return to action and NEC play next Friday, April 10, when they travel to Fairfield, Conn., to take on Sacred Heart at 3:00 p.m.