James sets single-season DC record in win over Sacred Heart

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior Meredith James (Essex Fells, N.J.) broke the single-season draw controls record with five on the afternoon, while junior Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y.) and sophomore Caitlin Breglia (Long Beach, N.Y.) each chipped in five points as the Bryant University women's lacrosse team ran away from Sacred Heart in the second half of an 18-6 win over the Pioneers on Friday afternoon.

GAME INFORMATION

Bryant 18, Sacred Heart 6

Records: Bryant (7-4, 2-0 NEC), Sacred Heart (1-10, 1-1 NEC)

Location: Bryant Track and Turf Complex – Smithfield, R.I.

KEY MOMENT

After Sacred Heart scored the final two goals of the first half, Bryant rattled off 10 in a row to start the second half, including eight in the first 10 minutes to seize control of the encounter.

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Alyssa Pearce put Sacred Heart ahead twice in the first eight minutes, scoring the game's first goal and then answering a tally from DeMeo.
• Bryant scored five of the next six goals, as redshirt-sophomore Melissa Wamp (Florham Park, N.J.) scored the last two of the run to put Bryant up 6-3.
• Pearce and Hanna Wise scored the two goals at the end of the half exactly two minutes apart, sending the teams into the locker room divided by one goal.
• Wamp scored the first goal 5:16 into the second half and the floodgates opened, as the Bulldogs proceeded to flood the next four minutes with eight goals from five different scorers.
• Averi Farhat was able to stop the run, but Bryant would have the last say, with freshmen Caitlin Bolen (Queensbury, N.Y.) and Natalie Langella (Northport, N.Y.) scoring in the final two minutes. 

STATS

• Bryant dominated in the draw circle, claiming 21 of the available 25. In addition to James' five, junior Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.) and senior Laura Fullam (Massapequa, N.Y.) each recorded a game-high seven.
• The Bulldogs outshot Sacred Heart 34-20 on the afternoon.
• The defense of the Black and Gold forced three failed clears of Sacred Heart in the first half, while Bryant failed on one the entire game.
• Bryant's defense also forced 18 turnovers, with 11 of them with cause.
• James led the Bulldogs with three caused turnovers and three ground balls.
• After going 0-for-2 in the first half, Bryant was perfect from the eight-meter in the second 30 minutes, going a perfect 4-for-4.

NOTES

• The previous single-season draw control record was held by Shannon Burns, who recorded 59 in 2015.
• Bryant's defense has allowed a combined two goals in the second half each of the last three games.
• Wamp set a new career high with four goals, besting her previous mark of three that came against UMass Lowell on March 21.
• The 21 draw controls as a team ties the Division I record set in 2015 against LIU Brooklyn and is one off the program record of 22.
• James' three caused turnovers and three ground balls are each new career highs.
• Fullam nearly doubled her previous career high in draw controls, which was four set against Hartford earlier in 2018.
• This is Bryant's sixth win by double digits this season and their third consecutive win by 10 or more.
• After winning two in a row on three separate occasions this season, Bryant has now won three games in a row, a season long.

UP NEXT

The Bulldogs head to the Big Apple for a Sunday morning battle with LIU Brooklyn. First draw is scheduled for 11:00 a.m.

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