Bryant sweeps Providence in Tuesday night clash

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University volleyball team extended its home winning streak to 12 matches with a sweep of in-state rival Providence Tuesday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

Game Information
Bryant 3, Providence 0 (27-25, 26-24, 25-11)
Records: Bryant 9-7, Providence 11-4
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

Coach Garlacy's Comments
"We have a great crosstown rivalry with Providence and once again the advantage went to the home team. A great crowd helped give us the edge in the closely contested first and second sets. We did a great job cleaning things up and finishing smoothly in the third, reducing our errors and running our offense with speed." 

How it Happened

• Set 1 – The Bulldogs led 11-5 early on and 21-18 before a 6-2 Providence run gave the Friars set point. Bryant responded with two kills from senior Ally Lunsford (Minneola, Fla.), an ace from freshman Alisi Motu'apuaka (Fort Benning, Ga.) and a kill by junior Julia Flynn (Pembroke, Mass.) won the set for Bryant.
• Set 2 – Providence again was the first to 24, as the Friars led 24-22 with an opportunity to tie the match. A Lunsford kill was followed by a Providence attack error to tie the set before a pair of aces from junior Julia Malet (San Rafael, Calif.) closed out the frame and gave the Bulldogs 2-0.
• Set 3 – The Bulldogs hit .300 in the set and limited the Friars to a -.094 hitting percentage, as Bryant closed the set on a 14-3 run for the decisive victory.

Stats/Notes                                                         

• Lunsford hit .550 with 12 kills to lead the Bryant offense.
• Flynn tallied nine kills and nine digs for the Bulldogs, while senior Kiley Robbins (Garland, Texas) hit .438 with eight kills.
• Junior Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.) recorded seven kills, 25 assists and three blocks, while junior Grace Richmeyer (DeSoto, Mo.) tallied four blocks. Bryant had seven blocks as a team.
• Bryant has won 12 straight matches at the Chace Athletic Center and is 30-3 at home since the start of 2015.

Up Next
Bryant is back in action Friday at 6 p.m. when the Bulldogs host St. Francis Brooklyn in their NEC opener.