SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Freshman forward Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand) scored twice in the opening frame to send the Bryant University field hockey team into halftime with just a 3-2 deficit, but the University of Maine would take over for good in the second half, getting three goals from Alexa Binnendijk en route to a 7-3 win Sunday afternoon in Orono, Maine.

Stephanie Gardiner got the scoring started for the Black Bears (3-1) 11:06 into the contest, rifling a pass from Kelly Newton past Bulldog goalie Jennifer Gullotti (Waltham, Mass.). Binnendijk netted back-to-back tallies less than three minutes apart to give Maine a 3-0 edge before Bird's unassisted backhanded goal put the Bulldogs (0-2) on the board at the 23:45 mark.

Bird would strike again before the break, this time taking a long pass upfield from junior Elise Driscoll (Harwich, Mass.) and winning the 1-on-1 battle with netminder Sydney Kolysher with a high shot into the left side of the cage. The goal sent the Bulldogs into the halftime intermission with momentum and just a one-score deficit, 3-2.

Out of the break, Binnendijk completed her hat trick off a penalty corner in the 45th minute, and Annabelle Hamilton netted the first of two goals just over two minutes later off another corner opportunity.

Hamilton and Jocelyn Mitchell finished out the Black Bear scoring for a 7-2 lead before Driscoll capped off the day's scoring with a last-second tally, tipping in a shot from sophomore Olivia Jankins (West Brookfield, Mass.) for the 7-3 final.

Maine outshot the Black and Gold, 24-9, but Bryant put seven of those shots on target. For the Black Bears, Newton registered four assists with five shots, while Binnendijk paced the game with six shots, five on net.

Between the pipes, Gullotti made six saves in a 70-minute effort while junior defender Rachel Blitz (Riverwoods, Ill.) added a pair of defensive saves in a stellar outing. Kolysher made three stops in goal for the home side. Maine took 19 penalty corners to Bryant's five on the day.

The Bulldogs return to the field Tuesday, Sept. 6 for their 2011 home opener. Bryant will host UC Davis at the Turf Complex at 7:00 p.m.