Resilient Bulldogs look to continue strong start at UMass Lowell, Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Off to its best start since 2012, the Bryant University women's soccer team will wrap up a three-game road trip when it takes on UMass Lowell on Thursday at 7:00 p.m.

The Bulldogs (3-1) and River Hawks (0-1-2) have met just once at the Division I level, coming last season in a 2-0 win for Lowell. From 2000-2008, the two sides kicked off against one another eight times as Division II programs, as Bryant went 5-3.

Bryant is coming off of yet another hard-fought win against Fairfield this past Sunday. Reigning Northeast Conference Rookie of the Week Jaden McCarthy (Smithfield, R.I.) scored her first goal and the lone score of the contest. It came in the 87th minute on a corner that was sent into the box, shot by junior Hannah Crofut (East Amherst, N.Y.) and saved, only to carom directly to the foot of McCarthy who chipped in the rebound.

McCarthy, the freshman defender, also provided quality minutes along the backline to help secure the third shutout of the season for senior goalie Kaylan Conrad (Avon, Conn.).

Conrad, who had nine saves in the win over the Stags, did not play in last season's contest with the River Hawks. Crofut along with classmate Haley Reddish (Natick, Mass.) and sophomore Alex Ralph (Peterborough, Ont.) all attempted three shots with one being on target in that game.

Sophomore Maggie Davenport and junior Shannon Groffie scored the two Lowell goals, as they were the only two shots on target. Groffie finished second on the team last season with eight points, 11 behind sophomore Katelyn Vieira who tallied 19 on eight goals and three assists on her way to being named to the America East All-Rookie Team.

Junior mid Rachel Morrier finished third in 2015 with six points, and she leads the River Hawks through three matches with three points on a goal and an assist. Vieira and senior Taylor Chianese trail with two points on the year.

With five goals through four games, the Bulldogs have already sent more balls into the back of the net than they did through 11 games last season. This is the first time they have scored at least five goals before the fifth game of the season since the 2012 campaign.    

The offense will look to beat sophomore keeper Julia Schneider, who started all 18 games as a freshman, making 80 stops to pair with a 2.11 goals-against average. In last year's loss to UMass Lowell, Schneider turned away all four shots sent in her direction.

Thursday's match gets under way at 7:00 p.m. and you can catch all the action live on AmericaEast.com or follow along via livestats on GoRiverHawks.com.