Breglia, DeMeo combine for eight goals in win over Niagara

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior Jess DeMeo (Mount Sinai, N.Y) and junior Caitlin Breglia (Long Beach, N.Y.) scored four goals each as the Bryant University women's lacrosse team posted a season-best offensive output in a 17-13 victory over Niagara Saturday afternoon at Beirne Stadium.

The attack duo combined for eight goals just three days after teaming up for six in Bryant's Wednesday win over Brown. Sophomore Natalie Langella (Northport, N.Y.) added a career-best three goals for the Black & Gold in the victory.

GAME INFORMATION
Bryant 17, Niagara 13
Records: Bryant (2-2), Niagara (3-3)
Location: Beirne Stadium (Smithfield, R.I.)

COACH ROCHE'S COMMENTS

"It's an honor to play and win in the brand-new, beautiful Beirne Stadium. We as a team are very lucky to have facilities of this caliber. Today's win was another back-and-forth battle and the players hung in there for a victory. We have some adjustments to make and I know they will work hard as usual to prepare us for our next opponent."

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Niagara opened a 3-0 lead on three free-position goals in the first 4:40 of the contest.
• Breglia kicked off the scoring for Bryant with some trickery on a free-position goal, spinning and firing a shot between the legs with her back to the goal to get the Bulldogs on the board with 17:26 to go in the half.
• Freshman Emily Diaz (Selden, N.Y.) and Breglia followed with two more to even the score at three with 14:12 to play before halftime.
• After another Purple Eagle free-position goal, tallies from DeMeo and senior Meredith James (Essex Fells, N.J.) put the Bulldogs ahead for the first time at 5-4.
• DeMeo would score twice more before halftime and Langella would add one in the final minute of the half to counter two more free-position goals from Niagara as Bryant took an 8-6 lead into the locker room.
• Diaz scored the opening goal of the second half before Niagara twice cut the deficit to one, each time being answered by a score from Langella.
• A goal from Breglia with 20:50 to play gave the Bulldogs their first three-goal lead of the contest at 12-9.
• Niagara would pull within one on another pair of free-position goals before the Bulldogs ran off five of the next six goals, receiving contributions from sophomore Abbi England (Longford Mills, Ontario), senior Lauren Britton (Monmouth Beach, N.J.), Breglia, senior Jasmine Perkins (West Babylon, N.Y.) and DeMeo to go ahead 17-12 with 2:22 to go.
• The Purple Eagles added a goal in the closing seconds for the final 17-13 margin.

STATS

• Breglia scored four goals and added two assists while DeMeo recorded four goals and one assist.
• Langella and Diaz added multi-goal games for the Bulldogs.
• James recorded six draw controls, sophomore Devon Bolen (Queensbury, N.Y.) collected a career-high five and Britton added four.
• Junior Katherine Clark (New Fairfield, Conn.) recorded a career-best four caused turnovers along with two ground balls.
• Britton notched a career-high six ground balls, while sophomore Megan McCarthy (Northampton, Mass.) added a career-high of her own with four.
• Sophomore Giana Kapoosuzian (Merrick, N.Y.) recorded a career-high 13 saves.
• Bryant outshot Niagara, 44-39.
• The Bulldogs held a 24-22 advantage in ground balls.
• Niagara was 8-for-18 on free-position shots, while Bryant was 2-for-7.

GAME NOTES

• Bryant improves to 2-0 all-time against Niagara.
• The 17 goals were the most for the Bulldogs since scoring 21 against Saint Francis U April 22 of last season.
• Britton moved within 27 draw controls of matching her sister Nicole for Bryant's career mark of 171.
• DeMeo is now 16 goals away from tying Lauren Descalzo for Bryant's career goals record of 177.
• Breglia is four goals away from becoming the eighth 100-goal scorer in Bryant's Division I era.

UP NEXT
Bryant begins a two-game Spring Break trip to Florida when the Bulldogs face Jacksonville Thursday at 4 p.m. 

Season tickets for the 2019 campaign at Beirne Stadium are available by clicking HERE.

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