Bulldogs travel to Central Connecticut for first road test in NEC play Friday at 7:00 p.m.

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Looking to maintain its strong start to Northeast Conference action, the Bryant University women's soccer team heads to Central Connecticut State University for a Friday evening match beginning at 7:00 p.m.

The Bulldogs (6-6, 2-0) completed a perfect opening weekend in league action with a pair of clean sheets, defeating Robert Morris, 2-0, and LIU Brooklyn by the same score. The Blue Devils (3-8-1) also opened up conference play strong with a 1-0 win over Mount St. Mary's on Sunday. Following an 0-6 start to the season, CCSU has gone 3-2-1 over the last six games. Bryant defeated the Blue Devils, 1-0, in overtime last season, but this Friday's hosts hold a 4-2-1 edge in the series.

Bryant will attempt to keep up its stellar play on the offensive end, as it has not scored five or more goals through the first three games of NEC play since 2010. The Bulldogs outshot the Colonials and Blackbirds, 33-8, last weekend and scored more goals than they had over the first seven games of the year. Reigning NEC Player of the Week, senior Kianna Woods (Stafford Springs, Conn.) netted three goals, junior Haley Reddish (Natick, Mass.) had two assists and fired nine shots with three on net, sophomore Alison Guilmette (Coventry, R.I.) had a goal and an assist, and reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Week Brigitte Donaghy (Toronto, Ont.) had a helper.

The Blue Devils may have the answer for Bryant's recent offensive surge. They sit third in the conference with a 1.368 goals-against average thanks to senior keeper Nicki Turley, who is having a solid season with her 0.783 save percentage and three shutouts. The backline is led by one of the best in the country, junior Jennifer Cafferky. She has started all 12 games this year and was named First Team All-Northeast Conference as well as All-New England First Team in 2015.

Senior goalie Kaylan Conrad (Avon, Conn.) will face Turley following her fourth and league-best fifth shutout of the season last weekend. She leads the NEC in save percentage (0.836) and goals-against average (0.854). Conrad has faced the Blue Devils twice and has experienced completely different results, as she posted eight saves in last year's 1-0 win, but allowed four goals on 10 shots faced in 2014's 4-1 loss.

Although Conrad allowed four scores and saw eight shots last year, this season's CCSU offense has had difficulties finding the back of the net. The Blue Devils rank last in the conference with 0.50 goals per game and 3.92 shots on goal per game.

Though the team has struggled offensively, a variety of Blue Devils have contributed. Freshman forward Anya Bornstein and junior Laura Casanovas Diaz are tied for the team lead with three points on a goal and an assist each. Five others have two points on the season, four of whom have netted one goal, and four players have one point with an assist.  

Friday night's match gets under way at 7:00 p.m., can be followed along via livestats at CCSUBlueDevils.com and seen live on NECFrontRow.com.