SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Senior goalie Jennifer Gullotti (Waltham, Mass.) made 10 saves in a relief appearance and weathered 21 shots from a potent Rider University offense, but the Bryant University field hockey team couldn't keep the Broncos off the board, falling at home, 6-0, Sunday afternoon.

Rider (11-1, 2-0 Northeast Conference) came out strong from the start, needing less than five full minutes for its first tally, a Gabby Burgo score that found net after a Megan Hancock (Skowhegan, Maine) save.

Virginia Egusquiza made it 2-0 in favor of the visitors minutes later, scoring off a penalty corner at the 7:30 mark before a misplayed pass out of the Bryant (6-7, 0-2) backfield gave Megan Pisani an unobstructed one-on-one opportunity with the Bulldog starting netminder. With no opposition, Pisani ripped a shot that Hancock had little chance of stopping, giving the Broncos a 3-0 edge and marking the end of Hancock's outing midway through the opening frame.

Bryant would keep that score through the intermission as Gullotti took over between the pipes, and the Bulldogs would hold Rider scoreless for the first 18 minutes of the second half, as well.

But in the 54th minute, Alicia Govannicci netted her second goal of the season in unassisted fashion to jumpstart a three-score Bronco run over the next five minutes that rounded out the scoring for the 6-0 final. Sandra Penas scored twice for the visitors to end the day's offense, and she was one of six Broncos to register at least one point on the outing.

The Bulldogs – who were edged out, 13-12, in the category – were awarded a trio of penalty corners with no time left on the clock, but despite multiple strong scoring efforts, the Black and Gold were unable to steal the shutout from Rider goalie Rebecca Lotito, who made five saves to move to 11-1 on the year.

Penas's 12 shots paced both sides in the game, while rookie standout Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand) led the Bulldogs with five shots on the afternoon. Freshman Kelsey Hiltebeitel (Warminster, Pa.) recorded the only defensive save of the contest.

The Bulldogs will now leave home for the next two contests, both Northeast Conference matchups, and next take the field at Robert Morris on Oct. 14 at 1:00 p.m.