BULLDOGS REBOUND AGAINST BROWN, TAKE 3-1 VICTORY OVER INTRASTATE RIVAL ON THE ROAD THURSDAY NIGHT

September 10, 2009

BULLDOGS REBOUND AGAINST BROWN, TAKE 3-1 VICTORY OVER INTRASTATE RIVAL THURSDAY NIGHT

Boxscore

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Led by the impressive play of sophomore standout Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.), the Bryant University volleyball team bounced back to take a 3-1 road win over intrastate rival Brown University Thursday night.

The win came just one day after a tough loss to Holy Cross in the Bulldogs' 2009 home opener, and Bryant (2-6) couldn't have responded any better against a strong Bears (1-1) squad.

It was Scocca who did much of the scoring in the four-set victory, collecting a game-high 16 kills and a contest-best 15 blocks (1 solo, 14 assists) on the day.

Bryant started the night in the right direction out of the gates Thursday evening, despite trailing for much of the first set. The Bulldogs found themselves down by five, 12-7, midway through the opening game and behind by four, 20-16, late into the set before bringing the score to within one at 20-19 on a setting error from Bailey Wendzel.

An ace from junior libero Robyn Gardner (Longwood, Fla.) evened the score at 21-21 and the teams would trade points until 23-23 in the set. But the visitors would break the knot without looking back, using kills from Scocca -- her fourth of the set -- and freshman Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo, Hawaii) to take a 25-23 win and 1-0 match lead.

But as they did the night before at home, the Bulldogs would stumble in the second set, despite five kills and a trio of blocks from Scocca, falling behind the Bears halfway through the game, 15-10. Bryant would come back to tie it at 20-20 before Brown repaid the favor with a 25-23 victory in the set two.

But Bryant would not repeat the demise of the previous night, taking a quick 12-6 lead in the third and never looking back for a 25-18 win and one-set edge in the match.

Scocca, Mitravich and sophomore Jazmin Stoner (Durango, Colo.) (8 kills, 16 digs, 4 blocks) each served up an ace in the set, while the Bulldogs totaled 10 blocks on the game led by a trio from Scocca.

But the Bears weren't about to allow Bryant the easy win on their home court. The fourth set started out evenly and remained close through the majority of the game as the teams stayed within two points of each other until Brown claimed a 21-18 advantage.

Mitravich and Brown's Brianna Williamson traded kills before rookie Emily Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) and Stoner brought the visitors to within one. Back-to-back attack errors followed by a kill from senior captain Julie Geonnotti (Eden Prairie, Minn.) gave the Bulldogs a 24-23 advantage. And while the Bears would reknot the game at 24-24, it would be their last point of the night, as a Kaup kill and Moira Gallagher error vaulted Bryant to the 26-24 set win and 3-1 match victory.

Scocca again led the Bulldogs in the final set, recording four kills and six blocks.

On the day, Bryant recorded 38 total blocks to Brown's 13, led by four from Danielle Vaughan. Gardner paced the Bulldogs on defense, collecting 30 digs while Stoner and Mitravich shared in the defensive duties with 16 apiece. Gardner also chipped in a pair of aces.

Mitravich finished the day with nine kills and four blocks, while Geonnotti recorded impressive numbers with six kills, 18 assists and nine blocks (1 solo, 8 assists). Senior Adriana Fuertes (Miramar, Puerto Rico) registered a team-high 21 assists on the day. The Bears were led by 14 kills from Christina Berry and a game-high 22 assists from Spencer McAndrews.

The Bulldogs now take four days off from competition before returning to Smithfield, R.I. to host the University of New Hampshire on Tuesday, Sept. 15 at the Chace Athletic Center (7 p.m.).