Bulldogs drop Saturday afternoon’s non-conference finale at St. Bonaventure, 2-1

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After falling behind, 2-0, just before halftime, the Bryant University women's soccer team came alive in the second half to dominate play, but although it trimmed the deficit, it could not complete the comeback and ran out of time in Saturday's 2-1 loss to St. Bonaventure.

It didn't take long for the Bonnies (3-5-1) to get an early home lead, as Danielle Vis netted her third goal of the season on the first shot of the contest just 5:19 into the game.

The Bonnies pestered the Bulldogs (4-6) with eight additional shots over the next 40 minutes, five directed at senior Kaylan Conrad (Avon, Conn.). Conversely, Bryant was only able to generate three shots in the first frame, as senior Kaitlyn Spangler (Acton, Mass.) sent the first shot aimed at keeper Lauren Malcolm in the 35th minute.

Just six minutes later, Vis doubled up the Bulldogs with her fourth goal of the year, as Sabrina Sousa-Sampson set up the score that made it 2-0 with 3:50 to go before halftime.

Bryant flipped a switch in the second stanza and came out firing. After being outshot, 9-3, in the opening half, the Bulldogs ripped off 13 in the second versus four from the hosts, none of which were on target. Malcolm made just one save in the initial half, but was on her toes for almost the entirety of the final 45 minutes.

After five shots over the first nine minutes to open up the second, Bryant worked a corner kick that was taken by junior defender Brigitte Donaghy (Toronto, Ont.). The set piece was momentarily cleared by the Bonnies, but remained in their half of the pitch. Sophomore Cayla D'Amico found the ball at her foot and she buried her first-career goal to make it 2-1 in the 56th minute.

The Bulldogs kept their pressure consistent, riffling off five shots on net over the next 13 minutes, but Malcolm locked in and made every stop she was asked to make.

The final attempt in the flurry came off the right foot of senior defender Abigail Smith (Kingston, N.H.) from just inside the box on the right wing. But the Bonnies hammered down defensively over the final 20 minutes and held Bryant to just a pair of shots that sailed wide and high.

Junior Hannah Crofut (East Amherst, N.Y.) along with D'Amico led the Bulldogs with three shots apiece, as they were two of eight visitors to have a shot on target. Spangler and classmate Kianna Woods (Stafford Springs, Conn.) each had a pair of shots with one on goal. Conrad made four saves in the loss, all coming in the first half.

Vis and Sousa-Sampson paced the Bonnies with four shots each, as the former had three on net with her two scores to carry her side in the win. Malcolm made seven saves in the victory, six of which came in the second half.

The Bulldogs will now shift their attention to Northeast Conference action when they return home for games against Robert Morris on Friday, September 30 and LIU Brooklyn on Sunday, October 2.