SMITHFIELD, RI (March 30, 2013) - The Sacred Heart women's lacrosse team was outscored 10-2 in the first half en route to a 17-9 Northeast Conference loss at Bryant University Saturday afternoon.  Junior Shelby Vaccaro (Brightwaters, NY) scored a career-high six goals in the loss as SHU falls to 1-2 in NEC play this season.

Bryant's (6-4, 3-1 NEC) Lauren DeScalzo scored three of her five goals to help fuel an eight-goal run in the first half to held the Bulldogs build a 10-2 lead a the half.  Bryant out shot SHU 23-10 in the first half.

The Bulldogs opened a 2-0 lead just 2:13 into the game before SHU struck at 23:41 on a senior Emily Pepe (East Quogue, NY) marker.  From there Bryant kept the Pioneers off the scoreboard until 22 seconds left in the half and tacked on eight-straight.  DeScalzo tallied three-straight on the run, two coming on assists from Haley Bloom.

Vaccro ended the run just before the half and then opened the second half with two-straight to cut the Byrant lead to 10-4.  Bryant's DeScalzo and Shannon Burns answered the Vaccaro second half scores to lead 12-4 with 20:21 left.

SHU's Pepe and sophomore Taylor Babin (Ellicott City, MD) scored back-to-back at 16:53 and 16:03 to pull within 12-6.  Bryant's Bloom started the Bulldogs off on a 5-1 run at 13:52 that would put the game out of reach.  DeScalzo scored her fifth on the run as well as a second by Bloom as Bryant built their biggest lead at 10 goals with 7:32 left.

Sacred Heart turned it over 14 times to just seven for Bryant.  Vaccaro added a pair of assists to her six goals for an eight point afternoon.

The Pioneers are back at home on Friday afternoon playing host to the Wagner Seahawks on Campus Field.  Opening draw is scheduled for 3:00 pm.

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