BRYANT FALLS IN REMATCH WITH KNIGHTS, DROPS 3-2 DECISION ON ROAD

October 24, 2009

BRYANT FALLS IN REMATCH WITH KNIGHTS, DROPS 3-2 DECISION ON ROAD

Boxscore

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - After falling to Bryant University, 3-2, in mid-September, the Fairleigh Dickinson volleyball team avenged its early-season loss Saturday afternoon, dropping the Bulldogs, 3-2, at home at the Rothman Center.

Sophomore Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.) led the Bulldogs (9-17, 4-4 Northeast Conference) with 16 kills on the match, tying a contest high with seven blocks. Senior Julie Geonnotti (Eden Prairie, Minn.) also had a strong day, collecting a double-double (13 assists, 10 digs) with seven kills and four blocks.

The match started out in Bryant's favor as the visiting Black and Gold took a 1-0 lead on the back of a 25-20 first-set victory. But in the second, the Bulldogs struggled to score, falling, 25-12 as the Knights (4-19, 1-6) served up five aces and recorded 14 of their 24 total blocks in the set.

The Bulldogs were narrowly defeated in the third to give the home side a 2-1 lead, 25-22, but came back in the fourth set by the same score to even the match at two sets apiece.

Bryant raced out to a 6-2 lead to open the shortened deciding set, but would let its advantage dwindle as FDU knotted the score at 7-7. A back-and-forth game would ensue until the Knights took a 14-11 edge thanks to strong serving from Meaghan Wheeler.

The Bulldogs would take the next two points, forcing an FDU timeout, but a blocking error by Scocca would end the match and the Bryant comeback as the Knights took a 15-13 fifth-set decision and a 3-2 conference win.

Rookie Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo, Hawaii) led the team with 20 digs on the day, adding eight kills, second to only Scocca. She put up a trio of Bryant's 17 blocks with two assists. Senior Adriana Fuertes (Miramar, Puerto Rico) collected 26 assists to lead the Bulldogs, while Jadith Lorenzo (Lawrence, Mass.) served up five of the Bulldogs' six aces on the match.

Ali Philbrick paced the Knights offensively, collecting a match-best 19 kills with five digs and two aces. Wheeler also recorded double-digit kills (13), while Sarah Willey's game-high 42 assists and 11 digs earned her a double-double of her own. Kelsey Semler collected a contest-high 21 digs. Overall, FDU recorded 13 aces from six different players, adding 24 total blocks.

Bryant returns to action Sunday, when its travels to Sacred Heart to take on the Pioneers at 1 p.m.