Bulldogs snap streak, topple UMass Lowell, 3-1, at home

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – A second-consecutive double-double from freshman Natascha Scarff (Geneva, Switzerland) and a match-high 18 kills from senior Elena Lohr (Loveland, Ohio) led the Bryant University volleyball team to a 3-1 win over UMass Lowell Tuesday night, snapping a 10-match losing streak in the team's first home appearance since early September.

Scarff's 13 kills and 15 digs marked the only double-double of the match, while sophomore Sara DePouw (Oconto, Wis.) also chipped in double-figure kills for the Bulldogs (4-16), with 11 on the night. Lohr hit an impressive .459, committing just a single error in 37 attempts to pace Bryant to a .333 attack percentage as a team. The senior captain added nine digs with two blocks and an ace in the victory.

The River Hawks (2-16) were led by nine kills from Anisa Smith, who also put up two solo blocks – the only UMass Lowell stuffs of the night. Kylee Chun picked up 25 of the visitor's 30 assists and added eight digs, second only to Hannah Ray, whose 30 digs paced both sides on the evening.

Defensively, the Black and Gold were led by junior libero Debora Magalhaes (Belo Horizonte, Brazil), who recorded 20 digs, while rookie Alexandra Lunsford (Minneola, Fla.) and DePouw each posted five blocks. Lunsford picked up Bryant's only solo block. Redshirt-freshman Vika Nesterov (Kfar Saba, Israel) led the match with 36 assists (9 digs).

Bryant started off with a 0-1 deficit in the match as the River Hawks took a 25-23 win in the opening set. The Bulldogs tied the score with a 25-22 victory in the second frame. In the third, UMass Lowell held the early advantage until Nesterov and Lohr kills and a Nesterov ace put the Bulldogs up, 13-10. Bryant went up, 18-12, on an ace from Lohr and grew the six-point lead to 10 by the end of the set for a 25-15 win and 2-1 match advantage.

But it was all Bulldogs in the fourth, as Magalhaes broke a 7-7 tie with 14-straight points, serving the hosts to a 20-8 lead and putting the set out of reach. Bryant won the fourth, 25-11, for the 3-1 match victory.

The Bulldogs remain at the Chace Athletic Center this weekend to open the home portion of Northeast Conference play and will host Saint Francis U. Saturday at 5 p.m. Robert Morris will visit Smithfield Sunday at 1 p.m.