2-1
 

Smithfield, RI - The Bryant University men's soccer team welcomed #13 Merrimack to a rain soaked Sutton Field on Saturday morning October 8. Bryant won the game 2-1 without the benefit of scoring a goal. The Bryant Bulldogs are now 5-4-3 overall and 5-3-2 in Northeast-10 Conference play.

Bryant took a 1-0 lead two minutes into the match after freshman Alex Burnham (North Yarmouth, ME) took a free kick and blasted it into the box. Freshman Tiago Dalboni (Medford, MA) of Merrimack tried to make a defensive play but headed the ball into his own net.
 
The Warriors would tie the game at 1-1 just six minutes into the second half when Dave DeSimone (Woburn, MA) headed a perfect throw-in from teammate Chris Bierbaum (Hingham, MA) past the keeper.

The Bulldogs would get lucky again less than five minutes resulting in a 2-1 lead. Burnham took a corner kick and again fired it in front of the net to have it ricochet off of Merrimack sophomore Andrea Ciano (Medford, MA).

That would be all the luck Bryant needed on a nasty day. The Bulldogs played tremendous defense only allowing four shots on goal. Junior goalkeeper Alex Bissias (Harpswell, ME) made three saves notching his first win of the season. Bryant held an 11-5 advantage in corner kicks.

The Bulldogs will host Felician on Monday, October 10 at 1:00pm.

Merrimack at Bryant (Oct 8, 2005 at Smithfield, RI)

Goals by period    1  2    Tot
 -------------------------------
Merrimack.........     0    1 -    1
Bryant……….           1    1 -     2

Goal History:
2:10 BRY  Own Goal
50:42  MER  Dave DeSimone (Chris Bierbaum)
55:34  BRY Own Goal

Shots: Bryant 6, Merrimack 8
Saves: Bryant 3, Merrimack 2