Bryant hits road for big conference weekend
Photo by: DSPics.com
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University men's soccer team enters a crucial road weekend with playoff implications on each game. Sitting at seven points, Bryant currently is one-point ahead of St. Francis Brooklyn and Robert Morris for the final playoff spot in the Northeast Conference postseason at the halfway mark of the season.
Friday's Particulars
Opponent: Mount St. Mary's
Time: 7 p.m.
Location: Waldron Family Stadium | Emmitsburg, Md.
Live Stream: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Presto Sports
The Mount has won all four games between the two sides, but this is the first matchup between them since 2012.
A bit about the Mountaineers
Mount St. Mary's is coming off a three-game road trip in which they earned one win, a 2-1 decision at Central Connecticut last Friday. The Mount currently sits at four points, three behind Bryant and the final playoff spot.
Boris Nana Tonzi leads the Mountaineers with three goals on the season and a total of six points.
Jonathan Godette and Andrew Lasso have four points to their name each, with one goal and a pair of assists.
In net, Bobby Edwards has played all 1244 minutes for the Mountaineers, allowing a 1.52 goals-against average and .764 save percentage.
Sunday's Particulars
Opponent: Sacred Heart
Location: Park Ave. Field | Fairfield, Conn.
The Pioneers have won 10 of the 19 overall meetings between the schools in a series that dates back to 1986. Bryant is unbeaten in four of the last five meetings, including a 2-1 double-overtime victory last season on a senior Charlie Booth (Concord, Mass.) goal off a corner kick.
A bit about the Pioneers
Sacred Heart enters the weekend with a 2-10-1 record, including a 1-3 Northeast Conference record. They, too, just wrapped up a three-game road swing that included an overtime victory over Mount St. Mary's and a pair of losses at UConn and LIU Brooklyn.
The Pios' offense is third in the league, scoring 1.23 goals per game in 13 matches this season. However, their team goals-against average of 2.23 ranks last in the league. In conference play, Sacred Heart's seven goals slate them tied for second in the conference.
Segundo Navarro leads the Pioneers in his first campaign in Fairfield with nine points, split evenly with three goals and three assists. Alejandro Arribas has four goals on the year to lead the Pioneers.
In net, Robert Strain has started all 13 games for Sacred Heart. He's recorded a 2.32 goals-against average and .674 save percentage during the 2018 campaign.
Bulldogs Notes and Notables
The Black and Gold is currently sitting in fourth place with seven points, one ahead of St. Francis Brooklyn and Robert Morris and one behind Saint Francis U and Fairleigh Dickinson.
Bryant are playing their lone road two-game weekend of the Northeast Conference season and looking to duplicate their previous NEC road success, a 1-0 win over FDU last Friday in Teaneck, N.J.
The Bulldogs are coming off their first loss of the conference season, a 1-0 defeat at the hands of titleholders St. Francis Brooklyn.
Freshman Ben Williams (Unionville, Ontario) leads the Bulldogs attack with two goals and two assists to his name.
Sophomores Jared Lee (South Setauket, N.Y.) and Antonio Terceros (Toronto, Ontario) each have four points from their two goals in 2018.
Junior Olivier Larente (Garches, France) has started 10 games between the posts for the Bulldogs, recording a 1.57 goals-against average and .709 save percentage during the season.
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