Press Release

PURPLE KNIGHTS FALL TO BRYANT IN NE-10 SEMIFINALS
Saint Michael’s completes season with 13-7 record

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                      FOR MORE INFORMATION
November 1, 2003                                                                      Contact: Seth Cole
                                                                                                Phone: (802) 654-2537

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Northeast-10 Conference Player of the Year Heidi Chirigotis (Westport, Mass.) tallied all three goals to lift No. 4 Bryant College past No. 9 Saint Michael's College, 3-0, in an NE-10 field hockey semifinal contest on Saturday.

The loss snapped the Purple Knights' six-game winning streak and ends Saint Michael's season at 13-7. The Purple Knights, seeded fourth in the conference tournament, advanced to the semifinals by virtue of their 3-2 overtime victory versus Stonehill College on Thursday.

Chirigotis opened the scoring 9:44 into the contest off of a penalty corner, with senior Melissa Manseau (Bedford, N.H.) collecting an assist. The Bulldogs doubled their lead before intermission, as Chirigotis tallied an unassisted goal with 14:19 remaining in the first half.

Bryant dictated the tempo in the opening stanza, firing nine shots on goal to just one for Saint Michael's. The Purple Knights, however, dominated play in the second half, outshooting the Bulldogs 7-1, but could not crack Bryant goalkeeper Kristen Patat (Portsmouth, N.H.), who stopped seven shots in the game, all in the second period.

Chirigotis completed the scoring 6:36 after halftime, notching her 27th goal of the season off of an assist from senior Erin Hoffman (So. Dennis, Mass.).

Junior Jess Anderson (Springfield, Vt./Springfield) stopped seven shots for Saint Michael's, who tallied 14 penalty corners to just five for Bryant, including a 9-0 advantage in the second half.

Bryant (16-4) advances to the NE-10 Championship tomorrow to take on the winner of today's UMass Lowell-Bentley semifinal.

Seniors whose collegiate careers came to an end for the Purple Knights include: Abbie Bartlett (Wolfeboro, N.H./Kingswood Regional); Jilby Danis (Burlington, Vt./Rice Memorial); Debbie Gallant (Salem, N.H./Timberlane); Jenn Gray (Skowhegan, Maine/Skowhegan Area); Lindsay Howe (York, Maine/York); Michelle Patts (Duxbury, Mass./Duxbury); Jessica Simmons (Bethlehem, N.H./Profile); and Julie Teach (Vienna, Va./Saint Andrew's (Del.).

GAME SUMMARY
Saint Michael's    0          0        - 0
Bryant                 2          1        - 3

First Half: BRY, Heidi Chirigotis (Melissa Manseau), 25:16; BRY, Chirigotis (unassisted), 14:19.
Second Half: BRY, Chirigotis (Erin Hoffman), 28:24.

Saves: SMC, Jess Anderson (48:25), seven saves; Tamsen Hunter (21:35), zero saves; BRY, Kristen Patat (70:00), seven saves.
Shots: SMC 8, BRY 10.
Penalty Corners:
SMC 14, BRY 5.

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For more information please contact the SMC Sports Information Office at (802) 654-2537
Last Revised: October 25, 2002