Box Score SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Sacred Heart men's lacrosse team lost its fourth consecutive game Tuesday night, falling 16-6 to the Bryant Bulldogs 16-6 at Bryant Turf Complex.
Ian Farley (Camillus, N.Y.) had two points on a goal and an assist, as eight different Pioneers had a point on the night. Midfielder Michael Slaughter (Wilton, Conn.) led Sacred Heart with five groundballs and caused a turnover.
Bryant (4-7, 2-2 NEC) scored one minute into the game, when Tucker James fired home a Tom Kennedy pass to put the Bulldogs ahead 1-0. Sacred Heart (4-6, 1-3 NEC) tied the game 1-1 at the 7:10 mark of the first quarter. Brian Masi (Smithtown, N.Y.) scored his 15th goal of the year off of a Matt Posch (Brookhaven, N.Y.) pass with the Pioneers man-up. James came back with his second goal of the game with 6:03 to play in the first to give Bryant a 2-1 lead. Cody O'Donnell scored 0:38 later to put the Bulldogs in front 3-1. The Pioneers got back within a goal, 3-2, with 2:45 left in the quarter on a Thomas Diplacido (Wrentham, Mass.) goal. Bryant closed the quarter with a 4-2 lead after Kennedy scored with 0:15 remaining.
The two teams traded goals to start the second quarter. After Tom Forsberg scored to give Bryant a 5-2 lead, Ian Farley (Camillus, N.Y.) scored with an assist from Cole Miller (Ridgewood, N.J.) to make the score 5-3 with 11:25 to play in the half. Farley then assisted on a Jerome Rigor (Pleasanton, Calif.) goal with 9:37 left in the second to get within one 5-4. James scored his third goal of the half at the 7:08 mark to give Bryant a 6-4 lead. Sacred Heart got back within one goal with 5:42 to play in the half on a Reed Avveduti (Niskayuna, N.Y.) tally. The Bulldogs won the ensuing faceoff and scored 0:12 later, as Shane Morrell fed Kenny Massa to put Bryant ahead 7-5. Alex Dodge (Smithtown, N.Y.) cut the deficit to one, 7-6, with 1:44 to play in the half, but James' fourth goal of the game in the final minute of the half gave Bryant an 8-6 halftime lead.
Bryant pulled away in the third quarter, outscoring the Pioneers 5-0 to take a 13-6 lead. The Bulldogs outshot Sacred Heart 16-2 in the third quarter and forced six turnovers. Bryant tacked on three more goals in the fourth quarter for the 16-6 win.
The Bulldogs outshot the Pioneers 42-31, holding a 31-24 edge in groundballs. Bryant also won 17 of 25 faceoffs.
Sacred Heart continues its current road swing next Tuesday, April 14 with a 7 p.m. game at Hartford.
