Career days from freshmen power win at St. Francis Brooklyn

BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, N.Y. – Career days from freshmen Riley James (Pocasset, Mass.) and Emma McGovern (Long Beach, N.Y.) led the Bryant University volleyball team to a five-set road win at St. Francis Brooklyn Saturday evening and a 2-0 start in the Northeast Conference.

James hit .468 with a career-high 24 kills and McGovern added a career-best 17 as the Bulldogs opened conference play with back-to-back wins for the fifth-consecutive season.

Match Information
Bryant 3, St. Francis Brooklyn 2 (25-16, 25-27, 31-33, 25-20, 15-10)
Records: Bryant (7-11, 2-0), St. Francis Brooklyn (5-10, 0-2)
Location: Genovesi Center (Brooklyn Heights, N.Y.) 

Coach Garlacy's Comments
"It was an exciting, defensive, hard-fought match. Our setters did a great job not only running the offense but combining for 28 digs. We had three players with double-doubles, including 24 and 12 from Riley. Erika led us with 21 digs and we got another big night from Sydney Gorski hitting .471 with great contributions from Emma and Caroline. Late in the match Alysa and Maggie provided a spark to help us finish strong." 

Stats/Notes

• James' career-high 24 kills came against just two errors in her 47 attacks.
• McGovern collected her career-high with 17 kills and added three blocks.
• Sophomore Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) chipped in with 12 kills in the win.
• Junior Alisi Motu'apuaka (Virginia Beach, Va.) shattered her career-high with 38 assists and added 12 digs.
• Junior Erika Ward (Rochester, Mich.) notched a season-high 21 digs and passed Macy Mitravich for fourth in Bryant's Division I era in career digs with 1,204.
• Redshirt-junior Sydney Gorski (Chagrin Falls, Ohio) added nine kills while hitting .417 and contributed two aces.
• Sophomore Haley O'Brien (Milton, Mass.) was in on five blocks for the Black & Gold.
• Freshman Mia Cergol (East Northport, N.Y.) provided a double-double for the second time in as many nights with 17 assists and a career-high 16 digs.
• Bryant improves to 21-4 all-time against St. Francis Brooklyn.

Up Next
Bryant plays its third-straight road match to begin the NEC schedule when the Bulldogs travel to North Andover, Massachusetts, to face conference newcomer Merrimack Tuesday at 7 p.m. 

Tickets for Bryant's 2019 home contests, including the Bulldogs' next match at the Chace Athletic Center Friday vs. Robert Morris, are available HERE.

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