Bulldogs top FDU in straight sets, remain undefeated in NEC play

SMITHFIELD, R.I – Freshman outside hitter Kristin Kingi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) paced the match with 12 kills while sophomore setter Vika Nesterov (Kfar Saba, Israel) posted her 12th double-double of the season to lead the Bryant University volleyball team to a 3-0 sweep of Fairleigh Dickinson on the road Saturday.

Nesterov dished out a match-high 28 assists with 11 digs while adding seven kills and two blocks for the Bulldogs (11-9, 3-0 Northeast Conference). Classmate Ally Lunsford (Minneola, Fla.) also put up seven kills with four blocks, while sophomore Kiley Robbins (Garland, Texas) and frosh Sophie Hoekstra (Millersville, Md.) chipped in eight kills apiece. Senior libero Debora Magalhaes (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) registered 24 digs to lead the match defensively.

Alex Lolland led the Knights (6-10, 0-2) with 11 kills on the afternoon, while Rebecca Sabol contributed eight. Caroline Laton paced both sides on the day on the block with six, also adding five kills, while Allison Butler doled out 26 assists (9 digs).

The Bulldogs reach double-digit kills in every frame of the three-set win (25-21, 25-20, 25-22) and outhit the host Knights, .219 to .088. Bryant also won the margins in kills, 49-29, digs, 66-48, and aces, 4-2.

The Bulldogs return to the court Sunday, looking to stay perfect in conference play when they take on Sacred Heart in Fairfield, Conn., at 1:00 p.m.