Bryant outlasted by Central Connecticut in Friday night clash

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – The Bryant University volleyball team was outlasted in five sets by Central Connecticut Friday at Detrick Gymnasium to bring the Bulldogs and Blue Devils even atop the Northeast Conference standings with six matches remaining.

Game Information
Central Connecticut 3, Bryant 2 (25-23, 25-20, 16-25, 19-25, 6-15)
Records: Bryant (15-10, 6-2 NEC); Central Connecticut (13-6, 6-2 NEC)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium (New Britain, Conn.) 

Coach Garlacy's Comments
"We came out very strong in the first two sets and in the third we just didn't finish the job. CCSU fought back and we did not answer. Our blocking was nowhere near our usual and it was the difference maker in the match." 

How it Happened

• Set 1 – Bryant trailed 22-21 before kills from juniors Julia Flynn (Pembroke, Mass.) and Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.) gave the Bulldogs the lead. After the teams traded tallies, junior Grace Richmeyer (DeSoto, Mo.) recorded a kill to win the set.
• Set 2 – Bryant led 13-11 before a 5-0 run that included two blocks from Richmeyer and senior Ally Lunsford (Minneola, Fla.) and a Richmeyer kill to extend the lead. CCSU would cut it to 23-20 before kills from senior Kiley Robbins (Garland, Texas) and Lunsford won the set and gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 advantage.
• Set 3 – CCSU jumped out to a 7-2 lead before four Flynn kills cut it to 9-7. The Blue Devils responded with a 7-0 run to take control of the set, as they led by at least six the rest of the frame.
• Set 4 – The Blue Devils led 20-15 before kills from Sperry, Robbins and sophomore Brianna Bruny (Biscayne Park, Fla.) cut it to two. CCSU responded with a 5-1 run to close the set and force a fifth.
• Set 5 – CCSU did not commit an attack error in the set, as the Blue Devils jumped out to an 8-5 advantage and finished the set on a 7-1 run.

Stats/Notes                                                         

• Junior Julia Flynn (Pembroke, Mass.) recorded 21 kills for her 17^th double-digit kill total of 2017.
• Junior Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.) tallied a career-high 47 assists and added 12 digs.
• Senior Kiley Robbins (Garland, Texas) had nine kills, while junior Grace Richmeyer (DeSoto, Mo.) chipped in eight.
• Freshman Erika Ward (Rochester, Mich.) notched 17 digs, while sophomore Nikki Kim (River Edge, N.J.) added 10.

Up Next
Bryant plays its final nonconference match of the regular season with a 6 p.m. contest Tuesday at Hartford.