MOUNT ST. MARY'S (0-12, 0-3 NEC) at #17 BRYANT (9-3, 2-1 NEC)
Saturday, April 12, 2014, 1 p.m.
Bulldog Stadium, Smithfield, R.I.
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MOUNT UPDATE: Mount St. Mary's lost at Bucknell, 16-6, this past Saturday to fall to 0-12 on the season. Christian Durham paced the Mount with a pair of goals while Kyle McDonough, Ryan Lamon, Brent Tsang and Mike Pascali also scored. Frankie McCarthy played the first three quarters in goal, making 10 saves while allowing 12 goals. After Pascali scored to give the Mount a 1-0 advantage, Bucknell scored the final seven goals of the first half to take control of the game. Bubba Johnson, who had three assists against Bucknell, leads the Mount in scoring with 15 points (9g, 6a). Clayton Wainer is second on the squad with 10 points (8g, 2a). McCarthy has started the past three games in goal, and has a 10.32 goals against average and a .520 save percentage on the year.
ABOUT THE BULLDOGS: Bryant, ranked 17th in the nation in the latest USILA Coaches Poll, lost to Saint Joseph's, 9-7, on Saturday to fall to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the Northeast Conference. Shane Morrell scored three times while Gunnar Waldt made 14 saves in the loss. Bryant fell behind 6-1 at the half before scoring five unanswered goals to in the third quarter to even the score at 6-6. Saint Joseph's was scored the next two goals, and was able to close out the victory. Bryant has five players with 20 or more points this season. Morrell leads the way with 28 points (21g, 7a) with Alex Zomerfeld (10g, 15a, 25 pts), Colin Dunster (20g, 4a, 24 pts), Tucker James (14g, 9a, 23 pts) and Collin Gantz (14g, 7a, 21 pts) rounding out the group. Waldt has started all 12 games in goal, and has a 7.27 goals against average and a .628 save percentage.
THE ALL-TIME SERIES: Bryant holds a 4-2 edge in the all-time series with the Mountaineers. Last year, the Mount edged Bryant, 10-9, at home. This will be just the second game between the two teams at Bryant. The Bulldogs defeated the Mount, 17-9, on April 7, 2012, in the only other meeting in Smithfield. The Mount defeated Bryant, 14-9, in the NEC semifinals in 2011 and fell to the Bulldogs, 12-6, in the 2012 NEC Championship game.
LAST YEAR'S MEETING: Cody Lehrer scored four goals as the Mount downed Bryant, 10-9, on Senior Day at Waldron Family Stadium last season. Trailing 6-4 early in the third quarter, the Mount rattled off the next four goals to take an 8-6 lead. Bryant cut the deficit to one three times, but the Mount was able to hold on for the victory. Andrew Scalley had two goals and four assists in the win. Colin Dunster paced Bryant with a hat trick while Peter McMahon had a goal and two assists.
HAT TRICKS: Mark Hojnoski's four-goal game against Robert Morris was the Mount's second hat trick of the year. Bubba Johnson recorded his first career hat trick in the Mount's 9-6 loss to No. 20 Drexel on March 15.
DEFENSIVE LEADERS: Kyle O'Brien, Alex Stefkovich and Nick Firman have each started all 12 games for the Mount on defense this year. O'Brien leads the team with 13 caused turnovers while adding 25 ground balls. Firman has collected 29 ground balls and is third on the team wth nine caused turnovers. Stefkovich has 15 ground balls and seven caused TO's.
BALANCED SCORING: The Mountaineers have had balanced scoring this season as 19 different players have found the back of the cage. Bubba Johnson has a team-high 10 goals with Clayton Wainer second on the team with eight. Sixteen different players have recorded their first career goal this season.
ON THE OFFENSE: The Mount offense has struggled this season, averaging just 5.25 goals per game and 26.7 shots per game. The Mount scored a season-high eight goals against Robert Morris.
THE MOUNT VS. RANKED OPPONENTS: The Mountaineers are 5-52 all-time against ranked opponents since the move to NCAA Division I in 1989. Mount St. Mary's is 0-3 against ranked foes this year, falling to then No. 6 Maryland, 16-3, in the season opener, No. 4 Virginia, 14-6, at home on Feb. 25, and 9-6 to No. 20 Drexel on March 15.
PRESEASON POLL: The Mount was tabbed to finish in sixth place in the annual Northeast Conference Preseason Poll. Defending champion Bryant was picked to finish first with Robert Morris and Hobart in a tie for second. Saint Joseph's, Sacred Heart, the Mount and Wagner round out the poll.
THE NORTHEAST CONFERENCE: The Mountaineers are in the Northeast Conference, which will be in its fourth season of play. The NEC has a new look this year as Hobart and Saint Joseph's join the league, which includes the Mount, Bryant, Robert Morris, Sacred Heart and Wagner. Mount St. Mary's won the inaugural NEC title in 2011, while Bryant has won the league the past two years.
UP NEXT: The Mount hosts Johns Hopkins on Monday, April 14, at 4:00 p.m at Waldron Family Stadium on campus.
