Van Dyk, Kmec set career marks once again, pace Bulldogs to 3-2 victory

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University volleyball team needed extra points in all three winning sets to top Holy Cross in five Tuesday evening, but the Bulldogs got three double-doubles and saw four individual career-high performances lead the hosts to the comeback victory.

The 3-2 match win marked the second straight and fourth in the last five outings for the Bulldogs (6-16), who avenged an earlier season loss to the Crusaders (6-11) despite falling in an 0-2 hole to open Tuesday's contest.

But after losing the first two frames, 25-21 and 25-22, the Black and Gold pushed beyond the 25-point mark in the third, 26-24, and fourth, 27-25, powering through a pair of tight sets that featured 10 and 15 ties, respectively, to knot the match at 2-2. The Bulldogs would hold on to that momentum in the deciding frame, and despite allowing Holy Cross to tie it at 14-14, got the final two points for a 16-14 victory.

Sophomore setter Jana Kmec (Stratford, Conn.) recorded a new career high for the second-consecutive outing, dishing out a match-best 56 assists, and represented the first of three double-double efforts for the Bulldog side on the night. Classmate Claire Van Dyk (New Richmond, Wis.) got the second, setting a new personal best on the defensive end with 19 digs while tying a career mark on offense that she set just two days ago with a match-leading 21 kills.

Junior captain Elena Lohr (Loveland, Ohio) picked up her second double-double of the season with 13 kills and 12 digs, while senior libero Mikayla LaRosa (Marysville, Wash.) broke her previous career high with a side-best 23 digs in the outing.

Bryant also saw big days from rookie Sara DePouw (Oconto, Wis.), with 15 kills and four blocks, and senior Alexandria Clyburn (Cartersville, Ga.), with 10 kills. Kmec added four blocks of her own to her career night, also serving up two of the team's eight aces. Van Dyk added three more to lead the Bulldogs, who also got two perfect services from frosh Carissa Gould (Woonsocket, R.I.).

As a team, the home side totaled 75 kills with 69 assists and 89 digs, posting four team stuffs. Holy Cross was paced by 15 kills from both Emily Oliver and Alex Aycock, while Katie McKernan dished out 48 helpers with a match-high four aces. Emily Popp led the contest defensively with 28 digs.

The Bulldogs reenter Northeast Conference action this weekend but remain at home, hosting Saint Francis University Saturday (5 p.m.) and Robert Morris Sunday (1 p.m.) on Homecoming Weekend.