Garlacy announces 2013 volleyball slate

BULLDOGS HOST 14 HOME MATCHES, OPEN 2013 SEASON AT NCAA RUNNER-UP UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- Head coach Theresa Garlacy is pleased to announce the schedule for the 2013 Bryant University volleyball season, as the Bulldogs prepare to compete for their first Division I postseason berth this fall.

Entering its second season with full Division I eligibility, Bryant isn't taking it easy in its non-conference slate. The Bulldogs will partake in four different tournaments in the fall of 2013, including their own Bryant Invitational Sept. 20-21. In total, the Black and Gold will play at the Chace Athletic Center 14 times this season, highlighted by a pair of extended homestands, and will face off against opponents new and old throughout the 33-match campaign.

The Bulldogs waste no time getting into the heart of their challenging tournament schedule, either, opening up the season at last year's NCAA National Runner-Up, the University of Oregon. The team's visit in Eugene will span three matches over two days, kicked off by Bryant's first contest of the year August 30 against Ohio University on a neutral court. A Saturday doubleheader will follow, pitting the Black and Gold against the tournament host Ducks in the morning and before taking on Eastern Washington in the afternoon to close out the team's cross-country trek.

"This is the most aggressive and demanding non-conference schedule that Bryant volleyball has ever undertaken," said Garlacy. "Opening at Oregon, we hope to see a glimpse of the direction in which we want our program to go, and we look to prepare ourselves for the conference schedule."

From there, Bryant heads straight to regional foe Boston College for its second tournament of the year, where the team will take on the Eagles in the first half of another Saturday doubleheader on Sept. 7 (1 p.m.), followed by a matchup against Hampton at 4:30 p.m. The Bulldogs wrap up the Boston College Invitational Sunday against Fairfield (10:30 a.m.).

Garlacy's Bulldogs will get a short reprieve from tournament action just two days later, heading north for a trip up to the University of New Hampshire Tuesday, Sept. 10 (7 p.m.).

The team returns to tournament play just three days later but Bryant won't have to travel far, as it heads into Rhode Island's capital city to take on Eastern Michigan (Sept. 13, 5 p.m.), Brown (Sept. 14, 12:30 p.m.) and Holy Cross (Sept. 14, 4:30 p.m.) in the weekend-long Brown Invitational.

The Bulldogs finally return to Smithfield on Sept. 17, where they will open their 2013 home slate on a five-match homestand at the Chace Athletic Center. Bryant will host a midweek home opener against the University of Hartford Tuesday at 7 p.m. before jumping back into tournament play.

Only this time, the tournament is their own, as the Bulldogs welcome a five-team field to the Ocean State. The Bulldogs will play four at home during the two-day set, opening the annual Bryant Invitational Friday with matches against UMass Lowell (4 p.m.) and Ivy League opponent Princeton (8 p.m.). Saturday will see the Black and Gold take on Stony Brook at 12 p.m. before closing out the weekend against St. John's at 7 p.m.

From there, the Bulldogs hit the highways once again, taking on intrastate rival Providence College Wednesday, Sept. 25 (7 p.m.) before opening up Northeast Conference action on the road at LIU Brooklyn Saturday, Sept. 28 (1 p.m.).

Bryant will stay in New York City for a Sunday contest against St. Francis Brooklyn (1 p.m.) before returning home to kick off a seven-match home stint stretching from Oct. 1 through Oct. 19.

During the homestand, the Bulldogs welcome a pair of regional non-league opponents in Dartmouth (Oct. 1, 7 p.m.) and Holy Cross (Oct. 8, 7 p.m.) while also hosting five NEC outings, coming against Sacred Heart (Oct. 5, 1 p.m.), Fairleigh Dickinson (Oct. 6, 1 p.m.), Saint Francis U. (Oct. 12, 5 p.m.), Robert Morris (Oct. 13, 1 p.m.) and Central Connecticut (Oct. 19, 5 p.m.).

Garlacy's Bulldogs will make return trips to each of those conference teams to close out October and open up November play – also adding in a trip to Quinnipiac Oct. 23 – but will finish the regular season in front of their home crowd Nov. 16-17. Saturday will see St. Francis Brooklyn at the Chace Athletic Center for a 3 p.m. match, before Bryant takes on LIU Brooklyn in Sunday's Senior Day regular-season finale (1 p.m.).

The four-team 2013 NEC Tournament is slated to be held Nov. 22-23 at the highest seed.

Click here for the complete 2013 Bryant University volleyball schedule.

Click here for the complete 2013 Bryant Invitational schedule.