#3 Bulldogs set to face #2 Colonials in NEC Semifinals
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
#3 Bryant (19-14, 10-4 NEC) | 20 | 25 | 13 | 22 | 1 |
|
#2 Robert Morris (18-12, 11-3 NEC) | 25 | 23 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – After recording a Division I best 19 wins, the Bryant University women's volleyball team has solidified its first-ever appearance in the Northeast Conference Tournament and will face No. 2 seed Robert Morris on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Steinberg Wellness Center at LIU Brooklyn.
GAME INFORMATION:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 21
Time: 6:30 p.m.
Watch: necfrontrow.com
Stats: Live Stats
The No. 3 seeded Bulldogs (19-13, 10-4 NEC) put on a record-breaking season, recording 10 conference wins in a single season, which is a program high in Division I. The Black and Gold also went undefeated at home (14-0) for the first time in program history.
As a team, the Bulldogs rank third in the league in hitting percentage at .193, only sitting below Sacred Heart (.227) and Robert Morris (.207). With the help of sophomore Vika Nesterov (Kfar Saba, Israel) and her 990 season assists, the Black and Gold are ranked second in the conference in assists per game (11.95). Nesterov currently ranks second in assists behind Robert Morris' Brianna Frakes. Bryant also holds the second spot in kills per game (12.88) led by freshman Sophie Hoekstra (Millersville, Md.) with 333 kills on the year and an average of 2.95 kills per set.
The Bulldogs are aggressive off the serve, logging the fourth-highest number of service aces with 163, including 40 on the season and .35 per game from freshman Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.). Also rounding out the conference's top ten is Nesterov with .28 per game and freshman Margot Ruffieux (Cary, N.C.), with .29 per game.
On the defensive end, the Bulldogs are tied for second in the conference in digs per game, with 16.6 and total 1,992 on the season. Senior Debora Magalhaes (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) leads the NEC in digs per set, at 5.65, which also places her sixth in the country. The Bryant libero's 678 digs on the year are 194 more than the next closest player total in the conference.
The Bulldogs finished third in the conference, after a two-game losing streak in the last week of regular-season play. The Black and Gold were defeated by the Colonials, 3-2, before losing to Saint Francis U., 3-0, on the road.
After splitting games with Robert Morris and having just played them, Bryant looks to come out on top this weekend. The Colonials (17-12, 11-3 NEC) finished off the regular season with five-straight victories, including the win over Bryant to solidify them the second seed in the postseason. This year will mark the Colonials' seventh-straight NEC Tournament appearance, after making it to the finals last season, where they lost to No. 1 LIU Brooklyn, 3-0.
The three-time defending NEC champions LIU Brooklyn (13-12, 12-2) enters post-season play in the top spot for the fifth-consecutive year. The Blackbirds have won nine of the last 11 titles and had a 47-match win streak in NEC play snapped by the Bulldogs this season. LIU Brooklyn recorded its second loss in a row and second loss in league play to Sacred Heart, who won, 3-0, in Brooklyn.
Rounding out the postseason tournament rankings is No. 4 Sacred Heart (15-13, 9-5 NEC). The Pioneers also finished the regular season with a pair of losses, including a 3-2 defeat to LIU Brooklyn, who they will face in the semifinals on Saturday. The Bulldogs split matches with the Pioneers, losing, 3-2, in Fairfield, Conn (Oct. 4).
The No. 1 seed LIU Brooklyn is set to take on Sacred Heart in the first semifinal match on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 4 p.m., followed by No. 3 Bryant against No. 2 Robert Morris, beginning at 6:30 p.m. The winner of the respective contests will face off in the NEC Championship game on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m.