Sperry posts second triple-double of season, Bulldogs drop 3-2 heatbreaker to Friars Tuesday night

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.) posted her second triple-double of the season, leading the Bulldogs with 14 kills, 21 assists and 15 digs, but it wasn't enough to get past intrastate rival Providence College, as the Bryant University volleyball team dropped a 3-2 heartbreaker in the capital city Tuesday night.

Sperry hit at a .400 clip – tops in the contest – and added three aces and two blocks to another impressive outing, but the Bulldogs (8-9) couldn't complete the comeback after tying the match with a 25-20 win in the fourth set.

Bryant opened the contest with a win, 25-22, before the Friars (12-4) knotted the match at 1-1 with a 25-21 victory of their own in set two. PC would keep that momentum with a 25-19 margin in the third, but four kills apiece from Sperry and junior Kiley Robbins (Garland, Texas) would put the Black and Gold on top in the fourth.

The deciding fifth frame would see Bryant battle back from an 8-3 Friar advantage to tie the set at 10-10. The hosts would retake the advantage but the Bulldogs would match them every step of the way, as the score would be knotted at every point from 12-12 through 18-18. But consecutive attack errors would doom the Black and Gold and allow the Friars the win by way of a 20-18 set-five decision.

Robbins was the only other Bulldog to finish with double-digit kills, registering 12, while senior setter Vika Katzen (Kfar Saba, Israel) added a double-double with 28 assists and 12 digs. Five Bulldogs finished in double figures in the dig column, pace by 18 from junior libero Erica Vendituoli (Nashua, N.H.).

Freshman Ava Patterson (Danville, Calif.) and junior Ally Lunsford (Minneola, Fla.) paced nine team blocks with four apiece, while senior Carissa Gould (Woonsocket, R.I.) served up four aces in just three sets of action. Patterson and senior Sara DePouw (Oconto, Wis.) each chipped in eight kills.

Megan Onyundo was the Friars' weapon of choice, as she finished the night with 23 kills despite just a .125 hitting percentage. She completed the double-double effort with 28 digs. Jenae Alderson added 15 kills while Cayla Veverka put up 18 to drive 69 team kills for the home side. Michelle Cruz led the match defensively with 35 digs, while Allison Impellizeri posted six blocks.

The Bulldogs now take a break from non-conference play to kick off their NEC schedule. Bryant will open the league slate with a weekend set in western Pennsylvania, taking on Saint Francis U. on Saturday (2 p.m.) and Robert Morris on Sunday (3 p.m.).