BURLINGTON – Despite a hat trick from Zac Amend and four points from Brian Russell, the Bryant men’s lacrosse team fell to the Vermont Catamounts by a final score of 16-12 at Virtue Field in Burlington.
With the loss, the Black and Gold drop to 1-1 in America East play and 4-4 overall. Bryant will return home to face UMBC on Saturday, March 29, with face-off set for 12:00 p.m.
Amend finished with a career-high six points (3g, 3a), marking his second consecutive game with a hat trick. Russell added four points (1g, 3a), while Dawson Rielly and Max Dantona each contributed two goals for Bryant.
Game Information
Vermont 16, Bryant 12
Records: Bryant (4-4, 1-1 AE) | Vermont (3-5, 1-1 AE)
Location: Virtue Field (Burlington, Vt.)
Key Moment
The Catamounts went on two separate 5-0 scoring runs, holding the Bulldogs scoreless for a combined 22 minutes and six seconds.
How It Happened
- After three minutes of scoreless action, Bryant’s Max Dantona broke the deadlock, scoring off an assist from Patrick Walsh at the 12:00 mark in the first quarter.
- Vermont answered quickly, with Zach Davis tallying his fourth goal of the year at 11:26. That goal sparked a 5-0 Catamounts run, keeping the Black and Gold off the board for over 13 minutes. Mathew Drimmie, Pat Coughlin, and Carson Eggebraten all added goals during that stretch.
- Bryant snapped the scoreless streak with 12:32 remaining in the half, as Dawson Rielly found Jack Lonsinger for his 12th goal of the year.
- Reigning America East Rookie of the Week Zac Amend got on the board shortly after, scoring an unassisted goal with 12:08 left in the second quarter.
- Amend then assisted Rielly’s 20th goal of the year at the 7:10 mark.
- Max Frattaroli extended Vermont’s lead to 6-4 with a goal at 6:04.
- Dantona responded with his second goal of the day off a feed from Amend at 3:12 in the second quarter.
- Vermont closed the half with three quick goals, increasing its lead to four at the break.
- The Catamounts opened the second half with two more goals, marking their second 5-0 run of the game.
- Brian Russell and Rielly scored within a minute of each other to cut the Bulldogs’ deficit to four. Russell struck first at 6:38 in the third, followed by Rielly at 5:48.
- UVM’s Luke Reiter responded with a goal less than a minute later, extending the lead again.
- The Bulldogs responded with two quick goals from John Tomsheck and AJ Monaco, bringing the deficit down to three. Tomsheck found the back of the net at 2:41, assisted by Russell, while Monaco recorded his first career goal at 2:23.
- Frattaroli halted Bryant’s momentum with back-to-back goals in the final 1:24 of the third quarter.
- He then completed his hat trick just eight seconds into the fourth quarter on an extra-man opportunity.
- Lonsinger assisted Patrick Walsh on a man-up goal with 12:34 left in the game.
- Amend’s second goal of the day came off a Russell assist at 8:42.
- Vermont’s Kean Pare scored his third goal of the year with 5:12 remaining.
- Amend completed his hat trick with 3:31 left, converting on Russell’s third assist of the game.
Stats
- Vermont held a narrow 35-33 edge in total shots and a 24-21 advantage in shots on goal.
- Bryant committed 18 turnovers, while Vermont had 19.
- The Bulldogs held a 36-34 advantage in ground balls.
- UVM dominated at the face-off X, winning 20-of-30.
- Bryant was 24-of-29 on clear attempts.
- The Black and Gold finished with 11 caused turnovers and 10 assists.
- Individual performances:
Game Notes
- Bryant starts conference play 1-1 for the second straight season.
- Vermont extends its winning streak to four games against the Bulldogs.
- Amend recorded the second hat trick of his career and set a new personal best with six points in a single game.
- Rielly tallied multiple goals for the sixth time this season.
- Dantona posted multiple goals for the second time in his career.
- AJ Monaco recorded his first career goal.
Up Next
The Bulldogs return home to take on the UMBC Retrievers on Saturday, March 29. Face-off is set for 12:00 p.m. Next Saturday’s game will also be Youth Day at Beirne Stadium.
