Friday, April 17, 2009
BULLDOGS TAKE ON BELLARMINE, GO FOR BACK-TO-BACK WINS SATURDAY AFTERNOON AT BULLDOG STADIUM
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - With the team's No. 1 goal - a winning season - already in hand, the Bryant University men's lacrosse team is refocused and ready for the next challenge. And that challenge approaches, as Bellarmine University comes to Bulldog Stadium Saturday at 1 p.m.
In their final two games of the season, starting Saturday afternoon against the Knights, the Bulldogs look to return to stronger, sounder form - and to keep winning at home.
"I'm really pleased with how our guys responded in practice this week," said third-year head coach Mike Pressler, whose Bulldogs look to rebound from a less-than-impressive performance despite the win in their last outing. "I don't think we've looked sharper all season and it certainly comes at a great time."
But to get their ninth win, the Bulldogs (8-5) will have to get past a seasoned Bellarmine (6-6) side, one who is looking to turn around a current four-game losing streak.
"We have so much respect for the Bellarmine team," Pressler said. "They played a rugged schedule and have been right there with some of the best teams in Division I.
"We have been very impressed with the Knights, especially at the offensive end," he added. "There is no doubt in our minds that tomorrow's game is gonna be highly competitive."
On the back of four losses, Bellarmine enters Smithfield, R.I. in search of a win before returning home to Louisville, Ky. for its final game of the regular season. The Knights are winless in their conference (the GWLL) but have played ranked powers such as then-No. 3 Notre Dame (11-6 loss) and then-No. 20 Denver (12-9 loss) to hard-fought losses in 2009.
"Like us, they played a very competitive schedule and, without question, in their six losses they have been right there in the second half," Pressler said.
To be competitive with the Knights, the Bulldogs, individually and as a team, will have to be on their game from the first whistle to the last.
"We're looking for a complete team effort," said Pressler. "I mentioned to the guys this week, at the end of the game we're looking for 10 different choices for the Player of the Game award. If that happens, we will have played very well collectively."
Bellarmine is led by 26 goals from Derek Hopcroft (7 assists) and 25 tallies from Sean Doyle (7 assists), who pace five Knights that register double-digit goal numbers. Twenty different players have scored at least one tally on the year while six have recorded double-digit point totals.
Bulldog junior Andrew Hennessey (Wading River, N.Y.) will match up against Knights faceoff man Bobby Snider, who sports a .547 win percentage with a team-high 38 ground balls. Snider, like Hennessey, bears most of the faceoff responsibilities, having taken 223 of the team's 281 total faceoffs on the year.
Hennessey enters the game with a nation's-best .703 success rate from the faceoff, picking up a nationally second-ranked 8.31 ground balls per outing.
"I think Andrew Hennessey at the faceoff X is certainly going to be challenged by No. 4 [Snider]," said Pressler. "Andrew's been outstanding for 13 games - a few lows now and then, but without question a lot more highs. If he maintains his average at the faceoff X, we should be in good shape tomorrow."
Between the pipes, Scott Bowles (10.24 GAA; .510 save percentage) will look to fend off Bryant's prolific scoring trio of Zack Greer (Whitby, Ont.), Bryan Kaufmann (Putnam Valley, N.Y.) and Kevin Hoagland (Glastonbury, Conn.), who have combined for 86 goals and 133 total points this season.
Greer, whose 37 goals and 4.46 points per game on the year both lead the nation, is coming off a strong, seven-point performance against Presbyterian last Friday night.
"I think Zack, with those numbers and with his 21 assists, is showing the lacrosse world what we've know of him all along - that he is without question a complete offensive player," Pressler said.
Kaufman, who scored his 200th career point last Friday, also puts the Bulldogs in a statistical category of their own. Bryant now boasts the only active career 200-point scorer tandem in the country in Kaufmann and Greer.
"If that is the case, that's quite remarkable for the Bryant Bulldogs," said Pressler. "Another first. It seems the last couple years that there have been a few firsts every year for us. And to have Zack and Bryan at the 200-point category is two outstanding accomplishments for those two men."
Freshman keeper Jameson Love (Darien, Conn.) will be looked toward to stand tall against the Knights' attack, as the rookie has had a strong first campaign, holding a 9.51 goals against average and a .530 save percentage on 415 shots faced.
There will be another key difference for the Bulldogs in Saturday's contest, but not one they haven't experienced before. This time, Bryant will be playing at the Bulldog Stadium, a natural grass field, rather than the turf of the Bryant Turf Complex.
"Moving to Bulldog Stadium has been a great change of pace for our guys," the coach said. "We've had a lot of success in the last two years in the NE-10 in Bulldog Stadium, so hopefully that becomes a home field advantage for us tomorrow."
