Bulldogs stay perfect in league play as 11 different scorers fuel 19-5 win over CCSU Friday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – With a career-high seven points, freshman Caitlin Breglia (Long Beach, N.Y.) paced 11 different Bulldog scorers as the Bryant University women's lacrosse team topped CCSU, 19-5, Friday afternoon at home.

Breglia fueled the offensive output with five tallies to knot her career mark, as the Bulldogs (7-4, 3-0 Northeast Conference) tied their own season high with 19 scores. Sophomore Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.), juniors Catlin Brown (San Diego, Calif.) and Meaghan Brennan (Glen Head, N.Y.) and freshman Leah Nocera (Westwood, Mass.) all chipped in two tallies apiece while six more Bulldogs recorded single tallies in a dominant league win.

Marissa Soto posted a hat trick for the Blue Devils (2-10, 1-2), who also got scores from Cameron Ruberti and Megan Szawlowski on the day.

Bryant never trailed in the contest, ripping off three goals on three shots in the opening two minutes. That 3-0 start would turn into an eight-goal run before the first 10 minutes expired, as Breglia picked up her fourth hat trick of the season just over seven minutes into the contest.

Soto would put an end to the Bulldogs' opening stretch with 19:45 on the clock, but the Black and Gold would rattle off five more – including two from both Breglia and DeMeo – to take a 13-1 lead into the final five minutes of the half.

Soto would score on an off-balance attempt from the lane with four to go, but Bryant would ultimately send the visitors into the halftime break with a 13-2 deficit.

The Bulldogs didn't let up the gas in the opening minutes of the second frame, as senior Ali Cardinal (Schenectady, N.Y.) took her place on the scoreboard less than two minutes in. Scores by Brown and Nocera would quickly follow for a 16-2 advantage before rookie Katherine Clark (New Fairfield, Conn.) registered her second score of the season on a free position shot with 18:45 still to play.

Ruberti would up CCSU's score to three midway through the stanza, and Soto would complete her own hat trick at the 8:32 mark. Bryant senior Emily Columbus (East Northport, N.Y.) would move the score to 18-4 before Szawlowski netted the visitors' final tally of the day with just 2:17 to play.

Bryant senior Olivia Brooks (Auburn, N.Y.) would complete the scoring with 36 ticks remaining, recording her first of the year off the final free position opportunity of the contest for the 19-5 margin.

The Bulldogs dominated the statsheet, posting 36 shots, 16 ground balls and 14 draw controls while missing only a single clear on the afternoon (14-15). Bryant suffered a season-low eight turnovers while causing four CCSU giveaways.

Senior Molly Martin (Island Park, N.Y.) paced the game with four ground balls, while Brown's three draw control wins led the hosts. Ruberti would win four in the contest.

Bryant goalies Samantha Santeramo (Wantagh, N.Y.) and Daja Andrews (Lumberton, N.J.) combined for eight saves in the contest, while Blue Devil netminder Jackie Branthover turned away 11.

The Bulldogs return to action Friday, April 21 when they play the first of two contests in western Pennsylvania, taking on Saint Francis U. at 3:00 p.m.