Clyburn's career high not enough

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Just one week after falling to the University of Maryland-Eastern Shore in straight sets at its own tournament, the Bryant University volleyball team made Friday's matchup with the Hawks a much closer affair, forcing the contest to five on the back of a career day from sophomore Alexandria Clyburn (Cartersville, Ga.) despite falling, 3-2.

Clyburn's 15 kills marked a new career standard for the second-year middle and paced the Bulldogs (3-8), who took a 1-0 lead out of the gates with a 26-24 set one victory before UMES (4-4) came back to take back-to-back sets and open up a 2-1 match edge. Bryant charged back in the fourth frame, though, 25-17, forcing the fifth and deciding stanza, a set the Hawks never let the Black and Gold into, winning the match with a 15-6 score.

Senior Jazmin Stoner (Durango, Colo.) was the only other Bulldog to record double-digit kills, while junior Emily Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) was the only Bryant player to top Clyburn's .357 hitting percentage with eight kills and a .389 attacking mark of her own.

Senior Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.) paced the Black and Gold on the block but put up just three stops as the Bulldogs were out-blocked, 20-8, on the day. Junior libero Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo, Hawaii) picked up 13 digs, while setters Jadith Lorenzo (Lawrence, Mass.) and Leigh Fishback (Edmonds, Wash.) combined for 41 of the team's 44 assists, with 25 and 16, respectively.

For the Hawks, it was an impressive performance from outside hitter Saitaua Iosia that propelled the team to a win, as the rookie drove home 30 kills in 59 attempts with only five errors for a .424 hitting percentage. Teammate Ndidi Ibe was on target all day long as well, committing no errors in 10 attempts while slamming nine of those tries down for kills (.900 attack pct.).

The Bulldogs will take on Fordham and tournament host Brown Saturday at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m., respectively, to wrap up 2011 tournament action.