SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Rookie standout Rosie Bird (Hamilton, New Zealand) gave the Bryant University field hockey team a 1-0 edge early in a rain-soaked 2011 home opener, but UC Davis would recover, scoring three unanswered goals to take a 3-1 victory Tuesday night at the Bryant Turf Complex.

Bird scored just a second under six minutes in for her team-best fourth goal of the season to put the Bulldogs (0-3) temporarily on top, assisted by fellow frosh Abigail Armstrong. Bryant would hold that lead for over 10 minutes before Lydia Brambila and Cloey LemMon teamed up to even the score at 1-1 midway through the opening frame.

The knot would stick through the halftime break, but out of intermission, Casey Wolbrinck would give the visiting Aggies (2-1) a 2-1 edge – what would prove to be the winning goal – off a penalty corner at the 58:39 mark.

Wolbrinck would connect with Emily Mecke with less than five minutes to play for the latter's second goal of the season, tacking on some insurance for the eventual 3-1 final.

Despite the score, the Bulldogs and the Aggies stayed evenly matched throughout the contest, both teams firing 13 shots and receiving eight penalty corners. UC Davis netminder Conley Craven picked up six saves in a winning effort to the four earned by Bryant senior goalie Jennifer Gullotti (Waltham, Mass.).

For the third time in as many games, Bird paced the Bulldogs with three shots, all three going on goal. Mecke also fired three for the Aggies.

The Bulldogs next host Georgetown on Friday, Sept. 9 at 4 p.m. at the Bryant Turf Complex.