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Photo by DSPics.com
Photo by DSPics.com
Posted: Aug 23, 2018

Bryant begins 2018 season Friday and Saturday in Chicago

CHICAGO – The Bryant University volleyball team opens the 2018 season Friday and Saturday with three matches at the UIC Invitational.

The Particulars
Opponents: UIC, Central Michigan, Maryland Eastern Shore
Match Times: UIC – Friday, 8 p.m. | Central Michigan – Saturday, 11 a.m. | Maryland Eastern Shore – Saturday, 6 p.m.
Watch Live (Friday): ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: UIC | Central Michigan | Maryland Eastern Shore

Series History vs. UIC
 The Bulldogs and Flames will be meeting for the first time Friday night. The match will be Bryant's first in Chicago in the Division I era.

Series History vs. Central Michigan
 Saturday's meeting will be the first between the Bulldogs and Chippewas. Bryant is 0-1 all-time against the MAC with an opening-weekend defeat at Toledo in 2009.

Series History vs. Maryland Eastern Shore
 Bryant is facing Maryland Eastern Shore for the first time Saturday. The Bulldogs are 2-1 against MEAC members in the Division I era, in addition to three matches against former member Hampton. Bryant will face Coppin State in September.

Bulldog Notes and Notables

  • Bryant was picked second in the NEC preseason poll, receiving one first-place vote.
  • The Bulldogs went 21-12 last year and 11-3 in the NEC. Bryant returns 11 players and all but one starter.
  • Bryant returns a pair of NEC first-team all-conference selections in redshirt-senior Julia Flynn (Pembroke, Mass.) and senior Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.), who was named NEC Setter of the Year in 2017.
  • Sperry is one of three seniors in Division I to record 40 or more aces in each of her first three collegiate seasons.
  • Senior Grace Richmeyer (DeSoto, Mo.) leads all returning NEC players in blocks per set (0.98).
  • This weekend will mark Bryant's first matches in the Central Time Zone since the opening weekend of the 2007 season, when the Bulldogs began their final Division II season with a tournament at Lewis University in Illinois.
  • Head Coach Theresa Garlacy enters the weekend six wins shy of 500 for her collegiate head coaching career. Garlacy begins her 23rd year at the helm Friday.

A Bit About UIC
 The Flames went 17-13 last year and 8-8 in the Horizon League, ending their season in the conference quarterfinals. UIC returns four of its top five players in kills from a year ago, including Horizon League All-Freshman Team selections Alexandria Hicks and Manuella Conte.

A Bit About Central Michigan
 The Chippewas posted 15-14 record in 2017 and a 7-9 mark in the MAC before bowing out in the conference quarterfinals. Central Michigan went 2-0 last season against common opponents with the Bulldogs (Hartford, St. Francis Brooklyn). The Chippewas return six players from last year's team, including setter Grace Butler and libero Megan Kern. 

A Bit About Maryland Eastern Shore
 The Hawks went 27-9 a year ago and 12-0 in the MEAC before falling in the conference semifinals and earning a berth in the NIVC. Maryland Eastern Shore was picked to win the MEAC Northern Division in the preseason coaches poll this August and features MEAC Preseason Player of the Year Lucia Babic, who hit .303 last year.

Up Next: UMass Lowell
 Bryant will host UMass Lowell in its home opener Wednesday at 4 p.m. at the Chace Athletic Center.