Women's Lacrosse Season Preview

SMITHFIELD, R.I.- The Bryant women's lacrosse team is preparing to open its 2022 season this Saturday at Brown. The Bulldogs are in their fourth season under head coach Brianna Roche, and are looking to capitalize on last season's momentum. They went 7-6 (7-5 NEC) in 2021, advancing to the conference semifinals. Two Bulldogs have already earned preseason honors. Cassidy Burns was named NEC Offensive Player of the Year by Inside Lacrosse, and Megan McCarthy was named All-New England by New England Lacrosse Journal.

Attack

Senior Burns is Bryant's leading returning attacker. She led the team and was 6th in the conference in total points (41 total, 3.42 per game), last season, and her 30 assists were second best in the NEC. Burns is also closing in on 100 career points. Fellow seniors Emily Diaz and Alexa Weber also return on the attack. Diaz had 23 total points last season, posting career highs in goals and assists. Weber is a former 20 goal scorer who found the net 12 times in just nine games last season. Also back are sophomores Kenna Kaut (nine goals in eight games), Chamberlaine Bell (11 assists in eight games), both of whom earned NEC All-Freshman team honors last season, along with Peyton Woodward, Brooke Blanche, Alliegh Kempf, and Emily Oliver. They will be joined by freshman Brooke Chandler.

Midfield

Juniors Skylar Simmonds and Madison Henry lead the midfielders. Simmonds was an All-NEC second team selection, and was the Bulldogs' third leading scorer last season with 23 goals and 35 total points. Henry is the lone returner to play in all 13 games last season; she led the team with 24 ground balls and contributed ten draw controls and five caused turnovers. Fellow junior Margaret Adams also returns. She grabbed ten ground balls and won nine draw controls in ten games last season. Also returning is sophomore Lily Auger, who scored five goals and caused four turnovers in her first season with the Bulldogs. This group will be joined by returners Sophie Glassman and Madison Scherner and a strong freshman class featuring Ariana McLean, Isabelle Katter, Amelia Piercy, Phoebe Fox, and Hanna Kumpf, as well as graduate transfer Carson Dennis.

Defense

Grad students McCarthy and Shea Farrell lead the defense in their fifth year in the program. McCarthy was 7th in the NEC in draw controls last season (42 total, 3.50 per game), while forcing six turnovers. Farrell started 11 games for Bryant last year, finishing with 22 ground balls, ten ground controls, and five caused turnovers. Logan O'Donnell also returns for her senior season. She caused a pair of turnovers and grabbed three ground balls in nine games last season. Also returning are sophomores Molly Anderson and Emma Sears and junior Carsin Gronbach. Joining them will be freshmen Jessica Colalillo and Rosemary Mcilroy and grad transfer Emma Coleman.

Goalkeepers

Junior Sam Ciancio and sophomore Sam Centofante in charge of protecting the net for the Bulldogs this season. Ciancio had 30 saves in six games (four starts) last season.