Bulldogs head to Columbia Classic for three matches Friday and Saturday

SMITHFIELD , R.I. – Fresh off a decisive 3-0 victory over the University of New Hampshire at home Tuesday night, the Bryant University volleyball team heads to the Big Apple to partake in the Columbia Classic Friday and Saturday.

The Bulldogs (3-6) will take on SIU Edwardsville to open tournament action Friday at 4:30 p.m. and pick up play Saturday at 1 p.m. against the host Lions and 5 p.m. against Manhattan College. All matches can be seen live on the Ivy League Digital Network.

Bryant saw stellar performances across its ranks Tuesday, but received particularly strong efforts from junior Kiley Robbins (Garland, Texas), rookie Ava Patterson (Danville, Calif.) and sophomore Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.). Robbins posted 15 kills while Patterson added 11 more with a .500 attack percentage. Sperry, along with fellow setter Vika Katzen (Kfar Saba, Israel), recorded a double-double (23 assists, 14 digs) and added eight kills for a top all-around performance.

The victory saw the Black and Gold snap a five-match losing streak, but head coach Theresa Garlacy turned to a limited lineup in the win. Only sophomore Kristin Kingi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) came on in relief in the back row, while the Bulldogs called on junior Erica Vendituoli (Nashua, N.H.) for libero duties (9 digs).

SCOUTING THE COUGARS
SIU Edwardsville's 2-3 record is deceiving, as two of the team's three losses have come in five sets, with 3-1 and 3-0 wins over Wright State and Evansville dotting the early season schedule. Ashley Witt leads the offense with an impressive 3.52 kills per set (74) while Katie Shashack is the top defensive player with 104 digs. At 19 total, Carley Ramich averages better than a block per set (1.12), while Taylor Joens is a strong two-way player at the net, ranking second on the team in both blocking (15) and kills (51) while posting the top hitting percentage at .255.

SCOUTING THE LIONS
The tournament hosts will be looking for their first win after suffering 3-0 losses to San Francisco, Indiana and Campbell at the University of San Francisco Tournament Sept. 2-3. Anja Malesevic has led the charge with 2.22 kills per set (20) while Grace Campbell (34) and Madeleine Casey (24) have shared setting duties. Columbia has served up just three aces on the young campaign but allowed 18, and has outblocked opponents, 18-16, paced by six (4 solo) stuffs from Ara Peterson. Cassie Wes has 47 digs as the team's top defender.

SCOUTING THE JASPERS
Winless through its first seven matches of the season, Manhattan will be motivated to get a victory and change the direction of its season. At 61 kills (2.54 per set), Milena Janjusevic paces the Jasper attack, with Zoe Lindsey directing traffic at the setter position with 131 dimes. The top blocker entering the tournament in terms of total stuffs, Ivana Kostic leads Manhattan at the net with 20.