Posted: Sep 15, 2009

BULLDOGS NIPPED BY WILDCATS, 3-1, AT HOME TUESDAY NIGHT

September 15, 2009

BULLDOGS NIPPED BY WILDCATS, 3-1, AT HOME TUESDAY NIGHT

SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Despite the momentum the Bulldogs had coming off a strong win and playing at home, the Bryant University volleyball team would struggle against the visiting University of New Hampshire, falling, 3-1, to the Wildcats at the Chace Athletic Center Tuesday night.

The Bulldogs (2-7), led by 11 kills from sophomore Jazmin Stoner (Durango, Colo.), couldn't muster much offense in the opening and closing sets, falling, 25-15, in both the first and the fourth frames.

To open the contest, Bryant fell behind early and trailed the entire set as the Wildcats (3-7) extended their lead to 19-10 behind five-straight serves from Jayde Huxtable. The Bulldogs would eventually go down by as many as 11 before finally falling into a 1-0 match hole.

In the second set, it was a series of serving streaks that earned the home side a lead mid-frame - and they would hold it to even the match at 1-1.

Down, 6-5, freshman Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo, Hawaii) served the Bulldogs to a 7-6 lead, one that senior Adriana Fuertes (Miramar, Puerto Rico) would grow to a 13-8 advantage on the back of a service ace and two-straight kills from Stoner. Fuertes's five-point serving run would force the Wildcats to call a timeout.

Stoner continued her strong offensive play as the serve turned to junior libero Robyn Gardner (Longwood, Fla.) at 14-11 in Bryant's favor, moving the Bulldogs' lead to six points - 17-11 - thanks to a UNH attack error and two more consecutive kills.

UNH would bring the set within four points and then go point-for-point with the Bulldogs until 23-19, when a kill from senior setter/rightside Julie Geonnotti (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and a big-time block from Geonnotti and sophomore Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.) would close out the set in Bryant's favor.

The third set wouldn't go as well for the Bulldogs, who found themselves in an early 4-0 hole thanks to strong serving from Kate Uitti and errors by the Bulldogs on the attack.

Bryant wouldn't make up that ground until the end of the set, when kills by Stoner and Scocca, combined with some opportune serving by Gardner, brought the home side back to within two, 20-18.

Another block from Geonnotti and Scocca preceded a Scocca kill that would move Bryant even closer, 21-20, again forcing a UNH timeout.

But out of the break, the Wildcats would hold strong to take a 25-23 win in the most closely contested set of the evening. Both teams would record six blocks in the frame, with Scocca collected a pair of solo blocks and a block assist for the Bulldogs.

In the fourth, the Wildcat hitters took over, led by Lauren Laquerre's .636 hitting percentage on eight kills. And with Bryant still in it at 18-15 in favor of UNH, Wildcat Lindsay Fogarty would serve the final seven points - including a service ace to win it - to earn the 25-15 set victory and a 3-1 match win.

Laquerre paced the game's offense on the day, recording 12 kills while teammate Pauline Acres collected 10. Stoner would be the only Bulldog to record double-digit kills, with 11. Uitti registered a game-high 38 assists while Geonnotti led Bryant with 16. Gardner recorded a match-best 19 digs on the night, while UNH outblocked the Bulldogs, 15-14. Scocca and Wildcat Justine Elliott each recorded five blocks.

The Bulldogs now take most of the week off before returning to the court Friday and Saturday for the Columbia Tournament, where they will face off against the hosts on Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. The weekend continues Saturday afternoon, when Bryant squares off against Lehigh (1:30 p.m.) and Northeast Conference foe Fairleigh Dickinson (4:30 p.m.).