Bryant travels to the Bronx for Rose Hill Classic
BRONX, N.Y. – The Bryant University volleyball team will have a quick turnaround from Wednesday's sweep of UMass Lowell as the Bulldogs travel to the Bronx for three matches at Fordham's Rose Hill Classic.
The Particulars
Opponents: Charlotte, Marist, Fordham
Location: Rose Hill Gym (Bronx, N.Y.)
Match Times (Friday): Charlotte - 12 p.m.; Marist - 5 p.m.
Match Time (Saturday): Fordham - 2:30 p.m.
Watch Live (Fordham): ESPN+ ($)
Live Stats: Sidearm Sports
Series History vs. Charlotte
The Bulldogs and 49ers are meeting for the first time Friday. Bryant has played one match against a Conference USA school since joining Division I, falling in three sets to North Texas last season at the Boston College Invitational.
Series History vs. Marist
Bryant and Marist are playing for the fourth time in the Division I era and fifth overall. The Red Foxes are 4-0 all-time with the last meeting coming in a five-set Marist win in Poughkeepsie in 2015. Bryant is 17-7 against current MAAC members since joining Division I with 12 of the victories coming against former NEC foe Quinnipiac.
Series History vs. Fordham
Bryant and Fordham will meet for the first time Saturday. The Bulldogs have played just one regular-season match against an A10 opponent since joining Division I as Bryant picked up a four-set win at George Mason in 2016. Bryant faced Rhode Island and UMass a combined 12 times in the 1980s.
Bulldog Notes and Notables
- Bryant moved to 3-1 on the year with a Wednesday sweep of UMass Lowell. Freshman Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) recorded double-digit kills for the third time in her first four collegiate matches.
- Sophomore Mackenzie Wild (Rochester, Mich.) and freshman Haley O'Brien (Milton, Mass.) combined for a 13-0-24 attack line in the win over the River Hawks. O'Brien notched eight kills and two solo blocks, while Wild had five kills and one solo block.
- Senior Kirstyn Sperry (Phoenix, Ariz.) and Kennedy were named to the all-tournament team at last weekend's UIC Invitational.
- Senior Kristin Kingi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) posted double-doubles in both Saturday wins and led the Bulldogs with 3.27 kills per set in the opening weekend.
- 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 Sperry, 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 and has collected eight in 14 sets to begin 2018 (0.57 per set).
- Head Coach Theresa Garlacy enters Friday's three-match tournament three wins shy of 500 for her collegiate head coaching career. Garlacy is in her 23rd year at the helm in Smithfield.
A Bit About Charlotte
The 49ers are 2-3 on the year after stumbling in five sets at Davidson Tuesday. Charlotte picked up wins over Presbyterian and USC Upstate in its opening-weekend tournament in the Queen City and was defeated by Elon and Virginia Tech.
Reeana Richardson leads Charlotte with 3.67 kills per set on a .242 hitting percentage. The 49ers have averaged 2.67 blocks per set in their first five matches, led by 1.48 from Tyra Galloway. Yumi Garcia, a C-USA preseason all-conference selection, has collected 6.52 digs per set.
A Bit About Marist
The Red Foxes are 1-2 entering the weekend with a win over William & Mary and losses to Davidson and Central Arkansas. Marist defeated William & Mary in the season opener in five sets, trailing 2-0 after a 34-32 second-set defeat to win the match in North Carolina.
Nikki DeSerpa and Megan Fergus are tied with a team-high 2.92 kills per set, while Morgan Owens has recorded 4.00 digs per set. Marist is led by fourth-year head coach Lauren Amundson, who spent the 2007 and 2008 seasons on the Bryant bench as an assistant coach before six years as the head coach at Stonehill.
A Bit About Fordham
The Rams enter their home tournament at 1-2 after three matches at the Jack Kaiser Classic at St. John's. Fordham was downed by Eastern Michigan and St. John's before a four-set win over Central Connecticut Saturday.
Kaitlin Morley leads Fordham with 3.73 kills per set and has chipped in seven blocks. Four Rams are averaging over 3.00 digs per set, led by 4.40 from Morgan Williams. Olivia LaPorta has posted a team-high 1.27 blocks per set.
Up Next: New Hampshire
Bryant returns to the friendly confines of the Chace Athletic Center for its next four matches and will start the homestand with a Tuesday night clash against New Hampshire at 7 p.m.
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