Bulldogs downed by Brown Tuesday

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Freshman Riley James (Pocasset, Mass.) recorded her third double-double in her last five matches, but the Bryant University volleyball team was held off by Brown in three sets Tuesday night at the Chace Athletic Center.

James tallied 12 kills and 13 digs – topping her career-high in digs and matching it in kills – in the defeat. Sophomore Haley O'Brien (Milton, Mass.) added five blocks for the Black & Gold.

Match Information
Brown 3, Bryant 0 (21-25, 22-25, 20-25)
Records: Bryant (5-7), Brown (7-1)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)  

Coach Garlacy's Comments
"We made a lot of unforced errors tonight, and combined with a subpar receive, it made it hard to get any momentum. Our block did a good job getting touches and we served tough. Riley James got a double-double and Maggie Ryan did a great job for us in the middle." 

How it Happened

• Set 1 – Brown led 22-11 in the opening set and 24-15, but Bryant would fend off set point five times in the 25-20 frame. James rattled off three straight kills to get back within 24-18, and after an ace from freshman Mia Cergol (East Northport, N.Y.), James teamed up with O'Brien for a block that would prompt a Brown timeout. The Bears would close out the set out of the stoppage.
• Set 2 – Brown opened the set with a 10-5 lead before Bryant chipped into the deficit with a 5-1 stretch that included two kills from freshman Emma McGovern (Long Beach, N.Y.). The Bulldogs would stay within three points the rest of the set, closing the margin to one at 23-22, before the Bears grabbed the next two for a 25-22 decision.
• Set 3 – Bryant had leads of 4-0 and 7-3 in the third, but Brown used a pair of 4-0 stretches to capture the lead at 16-13 and then extend it to 22-17. The Bulldogs would close within three but the Bears held on to close out the straight-set match.

Stats/Notes

• James recorded her third double-double in her last five matches. The 12 kills matched Friday's performance in the win over Kent State.
• McGovern added seven kills in two sets of action.
• O'Brien had a team-high five blocks, while sophomore Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) was in on three and freshman Maggie Ryan (Bethesda, Md.) chipped in on two.
• Cergol contributed 16 assists, while junior Alisi Motu'apuaka (Virginia Beach, Va.) added 14. The two Bulldog setters each added two aces.
• Brown hit .262 for the match. Bryant was at .081 on the night.
• The Bulldogs drop to 47-11 (.810) at the Chace Athletic Center since the start of 2015 and 3-2 this year.
• Bryant falls to 7-17 all-time against Brown and 3-6 in the Division I era.

Up Next
Bryant will play its first Division I regular-season event in Kingston with three matches this weekend at the Art Carmichael Invitational. The Bulldogs face Boston College Friday before matches against Albany and Rhode Island Saturday. 

Tickets for the 2019 season, including the Bulldogs' next home match Sept. 24 vs. Hartford, are available HERE.

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