River Hawks defeat Bulldogs, 2-0, Thursday afternoon

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University women's soccer team fell to UMass Lowell, 2-0, Thursday afternoon in Smithfield.

The Bulldogs (1-6-0) finished the match with 16 shots on goal, but it was the River Hawks (2-6-0) that were able to find the back of the net on two occasions.

The first score of the game came just after the start of the second half, when Lowell's Shannon Groffie sent a shot across the goal, finishing in the bottom left corner. Groffies' goal went unassisted, putting the River Hawks up, 1-0.

The River Hawks advanced their lead, when Midfielder Maggie Davenport lofted a shot from 30 yards out that found its way over Bryant goalkeeper Rachel Brightman (Rochester, N.Y.) in the 70th minute.

The Bulldogs created many scoring opportunities, firing off four of 16 shots on net. Freshman Alex Ralph (Peterborough, Ont.) helped lead the Bulldogs' attack, placing one of three shots on the main frame.

In the second period, sophomore Haley Reddish (Natick, Mass.) broke free from defenders and took a shot with her left foot, sending the ball to the far right side. Lowell keeper Julia Schneider dove for the save, punching the ball just wide of the right post. Reddish finished the game with three shots, while Schneider scooped up four saves for the River Hawks.

The Bulldogs return to action on Tuesday, Sept. 22 at Holy Cross, beginning at 7:00 p.m.