Bryant hosts Hartford in final non-conference match
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University volleyball team hosts Hartford Tuesday night at the Chace Athletic Center in its final non-conference tune-up before the opening weekend of NEC play.
The Particulars
Opponent: Hartford
Match Time: Tuesday – 6 p.m.
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
Tickets: Tuesday
Watch: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Presto Sports
All-Time Series: Bryant leads 13-8 (Hartford leads D1 series, 7-6)
LAST TIME OUT: ART CARMICHAEL INVITATIONAL
The Bulldogs clashed with Boston College, Albany and Rhode Island over the weekend in Kingston, taking the host Rams to five sets in the weekend finale.
Freshman Riley James (Pocasset, Mass.) had a breakout weekend for the Black & Gold, capped off by an 18-kill, 21-dig performance against Rhode Island. James was named to the Art Carmichael Invitational's All-Tournament Team for her efforts.
ABOUT THE HAWKS
Hartford is 7-7 on the year after a 2-2 weekend at its home tournament with victories over NEC members St. Francis Brooklyn and Central Connecticut. The Bulldogs and Hawks have not played any mutual opponents through the first four weekends.
Rhode Island native Jenna Bridges leads Hartford with 3.60 kills per set on the year and has added 0.93 blocks per set. Megan Anderson's 9.34 assists and 0.45 aces per set are best among the Hawks.
20=10+10
James has recorded four double-doubles in her last eight matches after a career-best 18-kill, 21-dig performance in the Saturday match against Rhode Island. The freshman has added double-doubles against Providence, Kent State and Brown this month.
RACING TO 500
Sophomore Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) reached the 500-kill plateau for her career in Friday's match against Boston College. Kennedy collected her 500th kill in her 48th career match.
LET'S GET IT STARTED
Bryant started five freshmen – Maggie Ryan (Bethesda, Md.), Emma McGovern (Long Beach, N.Y.), Abby Rae (Walpole, Mass.), Alysa Wright (Wayne, Pa.) and James – in Saturday night's match, while Mia Cergol (East Northport, N.Y.) joined the quintet in the first set as all six Bryant freshmen appeared in all five sets against the Rams.
SETTING THE STAGE FOR SUCCESS
Junior Alisi Motu'apuaka (Virginia Beach, Va.) tallied a career-high 25 assists in Saturday's match at Rhode Island. Motu'apuaka was named to the all-tournament team in two of Bryant's four non-conference weekend invitationals.
STRONG (ISLAND) START
Bryant's freshman duo from Long Island has made an immediate impact, as McGovern ranks third on the Bulldogs in kills per set and fourth in digs per set, while Cergol has been responsible for 37.1% of Bryant's assists on the year.
McGovern was named Molten/NEC Rookie of the Week for her efforts in each of the first two weeks of 2019, becoming the third Bulldog in the last three seasons to earn a conference rookie of the week honor (Caroline Kennedy, Erika Ward.)
UNDERCLASSMEN LEADING THE ATTACK
Bryant has seen 91.6% of its kills come from its sophomores and freshmen in 2019. The Bryant sophomores, led by Kennedy (2.29 per set) have contributed 49.2%, while the freshmen, with James pacing the group (2.42 per set) have collected 42.4%.
WARD-WINNING PERFORMANCE
Junior Erika Ward (Rochester, Mich.) added 11 digs on the weekend to rise to 1,165 for her collegiate career. The junior from Michigan is 16 digs back of Robyn Gardner's Division I dig total (in her three years of Bryant's D1 membership) for fifth entering Tuesday.
UP NEXT: FAIRLEIGH DICKINSON
Bryant opens its Northeast Conference schedule Friday at 6 p.m. with a trip to Fairleigh Dickinson. The match in Hackensack, New Jersey, can be seen on NEC Front Row.
Tickets for all home matches at the Chace Athletic Center, including Bryant's first NEC home match Oct. 4 vs. Robert Morris, are available by clicking HERE.
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