Bryant starts 2021 season at PC

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The long-awaited 2021 spring season has finally arrived and the Bryant University volleyball team is set to make the short trip to in-state foe Providence on Sunday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. 

THE PARTICULARS
Opponent: Providence
Location: Alumni Hall (Providence, R.I.) 
Time: 1:00 p.m. 
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats 
Watch: Friars All-Access

SCOUTING THE FRIARS

• Providence finished 6-25 overall in 2019 with a 1-17 mark in Big East play.
• Sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Leitman leads the Friar attack after averaging 3.33 points per set and 2.78 kills per set in 2019. Leitman also earned All-BIG EAST Freshman Team honors and ranked in the top-12 in the BIG EAST for points per set, kills per set and service aces per set. She was named to the 2020-21 Preseason All-BIG EAST Team.
• Senior Allison Barber finished sixth in assists per set (7.98) and 12th in service aces per set (0.28) in the BIG EAST Conference. Barber also led the Friar defense with 321 digs during the season. Barber surpassed 3,000 career assists on Nov. 9 against Villanova, finishing the season ranked fifth all-time in Friar volleyball history in assists (3,096).
• Junior Mackenzie Taylor also returns, having ranked second in digs (290) and digs per set (2.87) on the team, and recorded double-digit digs in 15 matches. 
• The Bulldogs are 9-6 in the Division I era and 10-16 all-time against the Friars after defeating Providence last season, 3-1. Bryant looks to extend its winning streak over PC as they took down the Friars the past three seasons, the longest winning streak for either team in the Division I series history.

BULLDOG NOTES AND NOTABLES

• Bryant graduated two from a year ago in Nicole Kim '20 and Brianna Bruny '20. The Bulldogs also lost Sydney Gorski due to fall graduation at the end of 2020.
• Senior Erika Ward returns for the Black and Gold as Bryant's top defender. Ward led the team last season with 379 digs (3.68 per set).
• Leading the attack is Second Team All-NEC selection Caroline Kennedy who led Bryant's attack last season with 296 kills and a hitting percentage of .282.
• Sophomore outside hitter Riley James led the team last season and ranked third in the NEC with  40 service aces (0.38 per set).
• The middle blocking duo of Alyssa Wright and Haley O'Brien combined for 138 blocks in 2019 and will appear in the rotation at Providence.
• The Bulldogs debut four fresh faces in Claudia Borri, Fabiana Castro, Josie Deluga, and Abby Snethen.