November 1, 2007
WOMEN'S SOCCER HOSTS NE-10 SEMIFINALS TONIGHT
Bulldogs Square Off With Franklin Pierce at 6 pm
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| Sophomore Brianne Lustenring has been steady on defense all season long for the Bulldogs who host Franklin Pierce tonight at 6 pm in an NE-10 Semifinal. http://www.dspics.com/ |
SMITHFIELD, RI - If you happened to be at the Bryant-Saint Rose women's soccer game back on October 3, you saw something that hasn't occurred in a while: an opponent scoring a goal. Bryant managed a 2-2 overtime tie that afternoon at Bulldog Stadium in a game featuring the top two teams in the New England region and two nationally ranked squads. But since that bout nearly a month ago, the Bulldogs have strung together six consecutive wins and, more impressively, haven't allowed a single goal in that 560-minute span.
Much of the credit for this feat rests with a 2007 squad that boasts one of Bryant's most balanced lineups in recent memory - especially on the defensive side of the ball.
Junior Danielle Malta (Bethel, Conn.) anchors the back line of defense. A great communicator with tremendous skill, Malta earned All-Conference honors as a sophomore in 2006 and was recently named to the NE-10 All-Academic team. During her three-year career, Malta has not missed a game, playing in 66 career contests and starting in the last 45.
And she's not alone. Sophomore Brianne Lustenring (Massapequa, NY) brings a hardnosed, physical presence to the defensive line. Never one to shy away from a 50/50 challenge, Lustenring has been a key component to the defense and one reason why the Bulldogs reached a No. 2 national ranking earlier this year.
Eighth-year coach Chris Flint has been blessed not just with strong play from Malta and Lustenring, but also with their leadership on the field - an intangible that has inspired growth in their fellow defenders. Juniors Alaina Iannazzi (Methuen, Mass.), Amy Orzechowski (Milford, Conn.) and Kristina Dionne (Raymond, NH), sophomore Molly Wallace (East Sandwich, Mass.), and senior tri-captain Lauren Childers (Franklin, Mass.) are all regulars enjoying strong seasons.
This year, Bryant is posting one of its best seasons in school history. The Bulldogs are undefeated with a school-record 17 wins entering tonight's showdown with 16th-ranked Franklin Pierce in the NE-10 Semifinals at the Bryant Turf Complex (6 pm). Bryant (17-0-4) is the No. 2 seed of the tournament and needs a win to get back to the conference finals for the second year in a row.
Last year, the Bulldogs upset top-seeded Saint Rose, 3-1, in the conference semifinals, earning a berth in the NE-10 Championship where they fell to host Franklin Pierce, 3-1, on a cold, bitter afternoon in Rindge, NH. Orzechowski had two goals in last year's win over Saint Rose.
Tonight's game with Franklin Pierce will be the second meeting of the year between the two teams. Bryant upset the then fifth-ranked Ravens, 2-1, back on September 8 in Smithfield, RI. Senior Tricia Spada (Dedham, Mass.) broke a 1-1 tie in the 56th minute with what would prove to be the game-winning goal.
The winner of Thursday night's game will face the winner of tonight's other semifinal matchup between No. 1-seed Saint Rose and No. 4-seed Merrimack. The highest-seeded team remaining will host the championship game on Sunday.
