Blue Devils top Bulldogs at home

KMEC RECORDS DOUBLE-DOUBLE, BULLDOGS FALL TO CCSU, 3-1, SATURDAY

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University volleyball team and visiting Central Connecticut battled for four sets Saturday night, twice needing extra points to end a frame, but in the end the Blue Devils would prevail, topping the host Bulldogs, 3-1, at the Chace Athletic Center in Northeast Conference action.

Junior Alexandria Clyburn (Carterville, Ga.) led the Bulldogs (6-14, 0-4 NEC) with 11 kills, adding a pair of aces and a match-best seven blocks, while senior Emily Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) matched her teammate's contest-high total at the net and added seven more kills.

Rookie Jana Kmec (Stratford, Conn.) posted the only double-double of the match with 22 assists and 10 digs to compliment two aces of her own. Classmate Jordan Thornlow (Colorado Springs, Colo.) dished out 18 assists for the hosts with seven digs.

Freshman Claire Van Dyk (New Richmond, Wis.) added 10 kills with six digs and two aces, while sophomore libero Elena Lohr (Loveland, Ohio) recorded a side-high 19 digs for the hosts.

Jamie Rademacher paced the Blue Devils (10-9, 5-1) and the match with 15 kills off an impressive .560 attack percentage, while Rachel Dunlap was the only other CCSU player in double figures with 11 kills. Brittany Schumacher registered a match-high 23 digs, while Makenna Lommori's 45 assists were the top figure in the category.

The Bulldogs hit .343 as a team to win the first set, 25-23, and take a 1-0 match lead, and the two sides would battle throughout the second before Central Connecticut knotted the score with a 27-25 margin. CCSU took a 2-1 edge with a 27-25 win in the third frame and finished off the home side in the fourth, 25-19. The match featured a whopping 32 ties, including 13 in the third set alone, and 17 lead changes, six of them coming in the opening stanza.

As a team, the Black and Gold outblocked their opponents, while the Blue Devils won the margin in digs, kills and assists. CCSU also took the slight edge in team attack percentage, .180 to .172.

Bryant returns to action Sunday afternoon against Fairleigh Dickinson (1 p.m.) to wrap up its current four-match home stand. The contest marks the annual Dig Pink event to raise awareness for the fight against breast cancer.

Can't make it to the game? Watch live for free on NEC Front Row.