October 15, 2010

LANDI NETS GAME WINNER IN 51st MINUTE, BULLDOGS EXTEND STREAK TO FOUR STRAIGHT WITH 2-1 WIN FRIDAY

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Junior Courtney Landi (Kingston, N.Y.) netted her team-leading seventh goal of the season at the 50:13 mark, pushing the Bryant University field hockey team back on top, this time for good as the Bulldogs extended their season-best winning streak to four games with a 2-1 home win over Saint Francis (PA) Friday night at the Bryant Turf Complex.

Landi's tally came off a feed from classmate Karlie Tiscia (Stamford, Conn.), and the Bulldogs' top scorer took the pass and hammered it home into the bottom right corner past Red Flash (2-11, 0-2 Northeast Conference) keeper Katelyn Vitali to break a 1-1 deadlock and give Bryant (5-9, 2-0) an eventual 2-1 final over its conference foe. With the win, the Black and Gold stay perfect at home and in NEC action in 2010.

Senior Toby Maltz (Andover, Mass.) got the scoring started 16:53 into the opening frame, delivering on a pass from Elise Boissoneau (Ashburnham, Mass.) that bounced around in front of the net before finding open territory in the Saint Francis cage.

It would take the visitors less than 90 seconds to draw even, though, as local product Kellie Mason (East Greenwich, R.I.) scored an unassisted goal on the very next offensive play early in the 19th minute. With plenty of space around her and just one defender left to beat, Mason let loose a shot from the top of the circle that escaped the diving grasp of Bryant netminder Jennifer Gullotti (Waltham, Mass.).

But it was Gullotti who truly kept the lead for the home side, breaking up a pair of breakaway opportunities for the Red Flash with her aggressive play in goal. Gullotti also made a number of big stops down the stretch after the Bulldogs were forced to play a man down for the final 3:09 of the contest following a yellow card that sent senior Julie Kuchyt (Hatfield, Mass.) (two shots) off in the 67th minute.

On the day, Gullotti turned away eight shots while Vitali made four saves for Saint Francis. The Bulldogs were outshot, 15-13, but found more quality shots on the evening, with eight different players firing at the goal. The teams nearly split the penalty corner opportunities, with Bryant edging its opponent, 9-8.

The Bulldogs will return to the Bryant Turf Complex to put their four-game winning streak on the line in just two days, as they host NEC opponent Robert Morris at 12 p.m. Sunday for the last in a four-game homestand.