Nesterov posts triple-double but Bulldogs fall to UNH, 3-1

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore setter Vika Nesterov (Kfar Saba, Israel) posted her second triple-double of the young 2015 season, but it wasn't enough for the win, as the Bryant University volleyball team fell on the road to the University of New Hampshire, 3-1, Tuesday.

Nesterov posted 10 kills with 29 assists and 14 digs in the four-set match, while rookie Kristin Kingi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) picked up her first-career double-double with a team-leading 14 kills and 16 digs. Senior libero Debora Magalhaes (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) hit the 30-dig mark for the first time this season to lead the Bulldog (4-4) defense.

Demi Muses paced the contest for the Wildcats (6-2), totaling match highs in kills (18) and blocks (4) to go along with 11 digs. She was the only UNH player to finish with double-digit kills. Keelin Severtson led the contest with 36 assists (5 digs), while Madison Lightfoot's 26 digs paced the home side.

The Bulldogs started out the contest with a first-set victory, 25-19, but fell behind in the next three, falling, 25-15, 25-22 and 25-21.

Senior Taylor Onoyan (Crystal Lake, Ill.) posted the night's top hitting percentage at .444, registering nine kills on the outing. Four Bulldogs finished with double-digit digs, with frosh Margot Ruffieux (Cary, N.C.) (10) joining Kingi, Nesterov and Magalhaes.

Tori Forrest finished the match with nine kills and 10 digs for the Wildcats, serving up two of the team's eight aces. UNH outblocked the Bulldogs, 9-3, as a team, and posted a .200 hitting percentage to Bryant's .168. Ruffieux and Nesterov served up the only two aces for the Black and Gold. Rookie Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.) added 20 assists with seven kills.

The Bulldogs will be back in action Friday and Saturday when they head to Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to take part in the Marist Tournament. Bryant will open the weekend against the host Red Foxes Friday at 5:00 p.m.