Bryant records season-best hitting percentage in sweep of Manhattan

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant volleyball team fought back to take the first set, then followed it with a dominant performance in the following two en route to a sweep of Manhattan in the opener of the 2017 Hampton Inn-vitational Friday evening at the Chace Athletic Center.

Match Information
Score: Bryant 3, Manhattan 0 (25-23, 25-5, 25-13)
Records: Bryant 3-6, Manhattan 0-8
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

Coach Garlacy's Comments
"Our senior captains led the way for us with precision hitting, tough serving and great leadership. Julia and Ally set the tone. At the same time, our middles were pretty much flawless and team blocking was much improved."

How it Happened

• Set 1 – Down 22-20 in the first set, Coach Garlacy called the first of her two timeouts to get the Bulldogs ready for the finale of the frame. She did not have to use the second, as Bryant won five of the final six points, due in part to two of senior Ally Lunsford's (Minneola, Fla.) season-high 10 kills to give Bryant the set and the momentum.
• Set 2 – Manhattan recorded 14 errors in the second set, paving the way for Bryant to comfortably take the frame. The five points allowed in the set were the fewest by the Bulldogs in the 25-point era.
• Set 3 – The Bulldogs were able to take an early lead in the frame, but after Manhattan cut the lead to five at 17-12, Bryant pulled away with eight of the final nine points to take the match. Bryant posted a .472 hitting percentage in the set.

Stats/Notes                                                         

• Led by three players at .400 or better, Bryant finished with a season-high .337 hitting percentage.
• The .337 hitting percentage was the best for the Bulldogs since a .343 mark vs. LIU Brooklyn, Nov. 5, 2016.
• After tallying 10 blocks against New Hampshire, Bryant followed it up with its second-highest block total of the season with nine.
• Junior Julia Flynn (Pembroke, Mass.) finished with 13 kills and a season-high .296 hitting percentage.
• Sophomore Brianna Bruny (Biscayne Park, Fla.) notched a career-high six blocks.
• Bryant improves to 3-0 all-time against Manhattan and is 2-0 against the MAAC this year. 

Up Next
Bryant plays twice tomorrow, taking on Stony Brook at 12 p.m. and Brown at 5 p.m. to cap off the Hampton Inn-vitational.