Bryant travels to West Point for weekend invitational
WEST POINT, N.Y. – After a 3-1 stretch on a four-match homestand, the Bryant University volleyball team travels to the Black Knights Invitational this weekend for three matches hosted by Army West Point. The Bulldogs will face Kent State Friday before taking on Binghamton and Army West Point Saturday.
The Particulars
Opponent: Kent State
Match Time: Friday – 3 p.m.
Location: Gillis Field House (West Point, N.Y.)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
All-Time Series: First Meeting
Opponent: Binghamton
Match Time: Saturday – 1:30 p.m.
Location: Gillis Field House (West Point, N.Y.)
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
All-Time Series: Bryant leads, 5-1 (2-0 in D1 series)
Opponent: Army West Point
Match Time: Saturday – 5 p.m.
Location: Gillis Field House (West Point, N.Y.)
Watch: Stadium/PLN
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
All-Time Series: Army West Point leads, 3-0
LAST TIME OUT: BRYANT 3, PROVIDENCE 1
Four Bulldogs were in double figures in kills as Bryant won its third-straight matchup in the series with Providence Tuesday night.
Freshman Riley James (Pocasset, Mass.) collected the first double-double of her collegiate career with 10 kills and 11 digs, while sophomores Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.), Jenna Knight (Scottsdale, Ariz.) and Haley O'Brien (Milton, Mass.) added 10 kills each.
ABOUT THE GOLDEN FLASHES
Kent State is 5-2 on the year after a five-set Tuesday win at Youngstown State. The Golden Flashes have also collected victories over Idaho State, Valparaiso, Gardner-Webb and Eastern Kentucky.
Savannah Matthews leads Kent State with 2.68 kills per set, while Erin Gardner paces the MAC with 6.64 digs per set.
ABOUT THE BEARCATS
Binghamton is in search of its first win of the year after 0-3 weekends at Delaware and Seton Hall.
Francela Ulate leads the Bearcats with 2.84 kills and 0.68 aces per set. Binghamton has been limited to an .074 hitting percentage through its first six matches.
ABOUT THE BLACK KNIGHTS
Army West Point is 3-3 on the year and is playing at home for the second time in three weekends. The Black Knights defeated New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Iona in their season-opening home tournament before an 0-3 weekend at Hawaii's Rainbow Wahine Invitational.
Courtney Horace (3.72 kills per set) and Sydney Morriss (3.29) lead the Army attack. Allie Strong has collected a team-high 0.71 aces per set, while Ana Oglivie leads the Patriot League with 6.76 digs per set.
THRICE IS NICE
Bryant won against Providence for the third-consecutive year Friday, marking the first time in the Division I series history that either team has won three straight matchups.
ACE OF CHACE
Bryant recorded 33 service aces over its last four matches, good for an average of 2.54 aces/set. James recorded six in Saturday's sweep of Marist, while junior Erika Ward (Rochester, Mich.) tallied four on consecutive points in Friday's sweep of North Dakota.
James entered the week tied for 17th nationally in aces per set with 0.67.
STRONG (ISLAND) START
Bryant's freshman duo from Long Island has made an immediate impact, as Emma McGovern (Long Beach, N.Y.) ranks second on the Bulldogs in kills and digs per set through her first eight matches in Black & Gold, while Mia Cergol (East Northport, N.Y.) leads Bryant in assists per set.
McGovern was named Molten/NEC Rookie of the Week for her efforts in each of the first two weeks of 2019, becoming the third Bulldog in the last three seasons to earn a conference rookie of the week honor (Caroline Kennedy, Erika Ward.)
UNDERCLASSMEN LEADING THE ATTACK
Bryant has seen 91.3% of its kills come from its sophomores and freshmen through the Bulldogs' first eight matches of 2019. The Bryant sophomores, led by Kennedy (2.54 per set) have contributed 50.7%, while the freshmen, with McGovern pacing the group (2.00 per set) have collected 40.6%.
16x4
Bryant is the only Division I volleyball program in New England to win 16 or more matches in each of the last four seasons. The Bulldogs have won at least 19 in all four campaigns with a D1 program-record 22 in 2018.
UP NEXT: BROWN
The Bulldogs return home next Tuesday to face Brown at 7 p.m. Tickets are available by clicking HERE.
Follow Bryant University volleyball on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to get an inside look at the program.