Bryant heads to Kingston for three at Keaney Gymnasium
KINGSTON, R.I. – The Bryant University volleyball team plays its first Division I regular-season event at Keaney Gymnasium this weekend when the Bulldogs make the short trip to Kingston to face Albany, Boston College and Rhode Island at the Art Carmichael Invtational.
Saturday night's match against the host Rams will be broadcast in Rhode Island on Cox YurView (Channel 4/1004) and nationally on ESPN+.
The Particulars
Opponent: Albany
Match Time: Friday – 3 p.m.
Location: Keaney Gymnasium (Kingston, R.I.)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
All-Time Series: Bryant leads, 2-1 (First D1 meeting)
Opponent: Boston College
Match Time: Saturday – 11 a.m.
Location: Keaney Gymnasium (Kingston, R.I.)
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
All-Time Series: Boston College leads, 2-1
Opponent: Rhode Island
Match Time: Saturday – 7 p.m.
Location: Keaney Gymnasium (Kingston, R.I.)
Watch: Cox YurView (Rhode Island) | ESPN+
Live Stats: StatBroadcast
All-Time Series: Rhode Island leads, 8-0 (First D1 meeting)
LAST TIME OUT: BROWN 3, BRYANT 0
The Bulldogs were defeated in three sets by Brown Tuesday night at the Chace Athletic Center. Freshman Riley James (Pocasset, Mass.) matched her career-high with 12 kills and collected a career-best 13 digs.
ABOUT THE GREAT DANES
Albany is 2-8 on the year with wins over Abilene Christian and Youngstown State. The Great Danes defeated the Penguins in a 1-2 weekend at Towson's tournament before falling at George Washington Sunday.
Akuabata Okenwa leads Albany with 3.11 kills per set on a .229 hitting percentage. Anna Chalupa has recorded a team-best 3.17 digs per set. The Great Danes have collected 2.36 blocks per set as a team this year.
ABOUT THE EAGLES
Boston College is 7-3 and 6-1 in its last seven matches entering the weekend. The Eagles took a five-set win at Harvard Wednesday after a 2-1 weekend at Florida Atlantic.
Jewel Strawberry leads BC with 3.37 kills per set and is second on the team with 2.89 digs per set. Amaka Chukwujekwu has recorded a team-high 1.23 blocks per set.
ABOUT THE RAMS
Rhode Island is 3-6 on the year and coming off back-to-back wins over Saint Peter's and Central Connecticut Saturday in New Britain. The Rams defeated Iona in the season's opening weekend.
Natale Zanellato leads the Rams with 2.90 kills per set, while Gabrielle Shilling has added 2.79. Ella Ratzloff's 4.52 digs per set lead the team.
10+10=20
James has recorded three double-doubles in her last five matches after a 12-kill, 13-dig performance against Brown Tuesday. James posted two double-doubles last weekend at Army, as she collected 10 kills and 11 digs in the victory over Providence and racked up a 12 kills along with 11 digs in the win against Kent State.
SOPHOMORES STEP UP AT WEST POINT
Bryant's sophomore class had key performances in Bryant's 2-1 weekend at the Black Knights Invitational. Popernik hit .371 with a career-high 15 kills and added 10 digs in the win over Kent State and followed that performance with 11 kills on a .348 hitting percentage in the sweep of Binghamton.
Sophomore Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) added eight kills against just two errors in Bryant's sweep of Binghamton Saturday, while sophomore Haley O'Brien (Milton, Mass.) had four blocks, seven kills and no errors in the win over Kent State Friday. Sophomore Jenna Knight (Scottsdale, Ariz.) added three blocks in the victory over the Golden Flashes, which was Bryant's second over a MAC opponent in as many seasons.
WARD-WINNING PERFORMANCE
Junior Erika Ward (Rochester, Mich.) added 14 digs Tuesday to rise to 1,154 for her collegiate career. The junior from Michigan passed Elena Lohr for sixth in Bryant's Division I era in career digs Saturday at Army.
STRONG (ISLAND) START
Bryant's freshman duo from Long Island has made an immediate impact, as Emma McGovern (Long Beach, N.Y.) ranks third on the Bulldogs in kills and digs per set through her first eight matches in Black & Gold, while Mia Cergol (East Northport, N.Y.) has been responsible for 38% of Bryant's assists on the year.
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% of its kills come from its sophomores and freshmen through the Bulldogs' first 11 matches of 2019. The Bryant sophomores, led by Kennedy (2.26 per set) have contributed 51.8%, while the freshmen, with James pacing the group (2.21 per set) have collected 39.3%.
UP NEXT: HARTFORD
Bryant will play its final regular-season non-conference match when the Bulldogs host Hartford Tuesday at 6 p.m. Tickets for Tuesday's contest and all home matches at the Chace Athletic Center are available by clicking HERE.
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