Bryant sweeps CCSU in New Britain Friday

NEW BRITAIN, Conn. – Senior Kristin Kingi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) recorded a double-double and freshman Jenna Knight (Scottsdale, Ariz.) collected a career-high 10 kills as the Bryant University volleyball team swept Central Connecticut in New Britain Friday night to move into second place halfway through the Northeast Conference schedule.

Match Information
Bryant 3, Central Connecticut 0 (25-21, 25-14, 25-21)
Records: Bryant (15-9, 5-2); Central Connecticut (8-10, 5-2)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium (New Britain, Conn.) 

Coach Garlacy's Comments
"We were really running on all cylinders tonight. Our middles were up and available and scoring points. Jenna Knight made a key contribution – had 10 kills and hit phenomenally. The block was solid in getting a lot of good touches that the numbers might not show but led to really diggable balls. Erika Ward did an outstanding job on defense, covering both the deep corner and the sharp cuts. Kristin Kingi hit extremely well and blocked well for us; the setters made great decisions. It was an all-around team effort."

How it Happened

• Set 1 – CCSU led 14-9 before an 8-2 Bryant run put the Bulldogs up one at 17-16 on a block from senior Grace Richmeyer (DeSoto, Mo.) and Knight. The teams were tied at 21 before Bryant took the final four points of the set to go up 1-0.
• Set 2 – Bryant opened the set up 6-1 and led by at least three the rest of the set. The Bulldogs extended their advantage to 18-8 and closed out a 25-14 second-set win to take a 2-0 lead in the match.
• Set 3 – The Bulldogs never trailed in the final set, leading 5-0 to begin the frame and withstanding a battle from the Blue Devils to close out the sweep. CCSU cut the Bryant lead to 19-17 before freshman Maya Popernik (Chicago, Ill.) came off the bench to pick up a kill, followed by kills from Knight and Kingi to go up 22-17. The Blue Devils took the next three points before the Bulldogs eventually closed out the win with back-to-back kills from Kingi.

Stats/Notes

• Kingi collected 15 kills and 13 digs in the win.
• Knight had her first career double-digit kill output, hitting .429 (10-1-21.)
• Sophomore Erika Ward (Rochester, Mich.) recorded 22 digs, while redshirt-senior Julia Flynn (Pembroke, Mass.) added 14.
• Bryant hit .201 in the match, while CCSU hit .102.
• The Blue Devils outblocked the Bulldogs, 15-5.
• Bryant improves to 7-17 all-time against Central Connecticut. The victory was the Bulldogs' second at Detrick Gymnasium, adding to a 2015 win in which Debora Magalhaes set Bryant's Division I single-match digs record with 38.

Up Next
Bryant returns to action with two matches next weekend in Pennsylvania. The Bulldogs will start the trip Friday at 7 p.m. at Saint Francis U.

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