Tuesday trip to Merrimack up next for Bryant
NORTH ANDOVER, Mass. – The Bryant University volleyball team aims for a 3-0 start to the Northeast Conference schedule when the Bulldogs face NEC newcomer and former Division II foe Merrimack for the first time in 12 years Tuesday.
The Particulars
Opponent: Merrimack
Match Time: Tuesday – 7 p.m.
Location: Hammel Court (North Andover, Mass.)
Watch: NEC Front Row
Live Stats: Sidearm Stats
All-Time Series: Bryant leads, 35-1 (First D1 meeting)
LAST TIME OUT: BRYANT 3, ST. FRANCIS BROOKLYN 2
The Bulldogs capped off a 2-0 opening weekend with a five-set win Saturday at St. Francis Brooklyn. Freshman Riley James (Pocasset, Mass.) tallied a career-high 24 kills on a .468 hitting percentage, while freshman Emma McGovern (Long Beach, N.Y.) added a career-best 17 kills and sophomore Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) chipped in with 12.
ABOUT THE WARRIORS
Merrimack is 1-8 in its inaugural Division I campaign and 0-7 against D1 competition. The Warriors opened conference play in Pennsylvania with a three-set loss to Robert Morris and four-set defeat at Saint Francis U.
Catherine Flaherty leads qualifying players with 2.44 kills per set on the year, while Luna Colozzo has recorded 2.67 while playing in 15 of Merrimack's 29 sets. Taelyr Czech leads the team with 3.09 digs per set.
#WELCOMEWARRIORS
Merrimack joins the Northeast Conference for the 2019-20 season, bringing the NEC's volleyball membership to nine teams. NEC teams will play a 16-match schedule this season.
The meeting between Bryant and Merrimack will be the first since the Bulldogs won the 2007 NE-10 Championship in four sets over the Warriors. Bryant is 35-1 all-time against Merrimack in a series that dates back to 1982.
RILEY'S RECORD DAY
James hit .468 with 24 kills in Saturday's win over St. Francis Brooklyn, giving the freshman from Massachusetts the Bryant Division I record for kills by a freshman in a single match.
WARD-WINNING PERFORMANCE
Junior Erika Ward (Rochester, Mich.) added 39 digs on the weekend at Rhode Island to rise to 1,204 for her collegiate career. The junior from Michigan passed Macy Mitravich Saturday to move to fourth in Bryant's Division I era in career digs and enters Tuesday 10 shy of former teammate Kirstyn Sperry for third.
20=10+10
James has recorded five double-doubles in her freshman season after the 24-kill, 12-dig performance Saturday. The freshman has added double-doubles against Providence, Kent State, Brown and Rhode Island this season.
SETTING THE STAGE FOR SUCCESS
Junior Alisi Motu'apuaka (Virginia Beach, Va.) notched a career-best 38 assists in Saturday's win over St. Francis Brooklyn. Motu'apuaka was named to the all-tournament team in two of Bryant's four non-conference weekend invitationals.
UNDERCLASSMEN LEADING THE ATTACK
Bryant has seen 90.8% of its kills come from its sophomores and freshmen in 2019. The Bryant sophomores, led by Kennedy (2.42 per set) have contributed 47.1%, while the freshmen, with James pacing the group (2.63 per set) have collected 43.7%.
CROSS-SOUND SUCCESS
Bryant's freshman duo from Long Island has made an immediate impact, as McGovern ranks third on the Bulldogs in kills and digs per set, while Mia Cergol (East Northport, N.Y.) has been responsible for 36% 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.)
UP NEXT: ROBERT MORRIS
Bryant begins a five-match homestand when the Bulldogs host Robert Morris Friday at 6 p.m. at the Chace Athletic Center. Tickets for all home matches at the Chace Athletic Center, including Friday's contest against the Colonials, available by clicking HERE.
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