Career day for Taylor gets Bulldogs big win

CAREER DAY FOR TAYLOR LEADS BULLDOGS TO 3-1 WIN OVER ST. FRANCIS (NY)

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- Sophomore Jocelyn Taylor (Marlborough, Conn.) put up career numbers Sunday night, leading the Bryant University volleyball team to its second-consecutive victory, a 3-1 win over St. Francis (NY) at the Chace Athletic Center.

Taylor recorded a career- and match-best 14 kills on 17 attempts to post an impressive .824 attack percentage that ranks second all time in the Bryant record books. The Bulldogs (11-19, 5-8 Northeast Conference) also got six blocks from the second-year middle, including the only solo stuff of the night.

Junior Alexandria Clyburn (Cartersville, Ga.) picked up 11 kills and seven blocks of her own, tying her career best at the net, while senior captain Emily Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) picked up her own career-tying number on the block with a contest-best nine. Both eclipsed the 100-block mark on the season in the victory. Senior setter Jadith Lorenzo (Lawrence, Mass.) recorded her fourth double-double of the year as well, dishing out a match-high 42 assists and adding 10 digs with a pair of aces.

The Terriers (4-26, 2-11) were paced by 11 kills from Naomi Flinders and 10 apiece from Slavica Stefanovic and Marina Georgieva. Flinders registered her own double-double, chipping in 13 digs, as Kamali Clifton led St. Francis (NY) with 23 helpers. Feliz Ramirez led the match with 16 digs.

The Bulldogs took a quick and straightforward win in the opening set, 25-14, but that would be the last easy frame for the Black and Gold, who fell in the second, 26-24, despite scoring seven-straight points mid-frame to turn an 18-13 deficit into a 20-18 advantage. The third frame featured nine ties and a pair of lead changes before the hosts edged out their opponents, 25-23, and the fourth was no different, as the teams tied it up 11 times with six lead changes before Bryant won out, 25-23, for the 3-1 match victory.

Sophomore libero Elena Lohr (Loveland, Ohio) led the Bulldogs with 13 digs on the night while senior Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo, Hawaii) served up a trio of aces. Bryant would have eight perfect serves in the match to St. Francis's four, also taking the slight margin in assists, 47-43, digs, 52-51, and kills, 51-48. Bryant outhit the Terriers for a team attack percentage of .207, and the home side excelled at the net, outblocking its visitors, 25-14.

The Bulldogs have just a single match remaining in their home slate and will welcome NEC leader LIU Brooklyn to the Chace Athletic Center Sunday at 1 p.m. for 2012 Senior Day. Can't make it to the game? Watch all the action live on NEC Front Row.