Volleyball Defeats Hartford, 3-1

WEST HARTFORD, CT- The Bryant women's volleyball team defeated Hartford on Tuesday by a score of 3-1, in their final tuneup before NEC play.

Match Information

Bryant 3, Hartford 1 (25-20, 20-25, 25-23, 25-14)

Records: Bryant (7-8, 0-0 NEC), Hartford (2-11, 0-0 AEC)

Location: Hartford Volleyball Gym (West Hartford, CT)

Coach Garlacy's Comments:

"This was a fun defensive match tonight. Out outsides dug a lot of balls and we were very aggressive hitting against a big block. As a team we served very tough, with nine aces, and kept them out of system. Emma and Riley both had double doubles, Caroline was our emotional leader, and Mia made some amazing out of system sets."

How it Happened:

Set 1: Bryant took an early lead in the first set, but Hartford kept it close. The Bulldogs were able to stay in front, however, and won the set by five. Bryant had six players pick up multiple kills in the set, led by Riley James and Caroline Kennedy with three apiece.

Set 2: The second set saw a few more lead changes than the first, with Hartford eventually taking control. Bryant was able to tie the match at 12, but the Hawks pulled away. James and Emma McGovern led the Bulldogs with four kills each in the period, and Mia Cergol had 11 assists.

Set 3: The third set was the most tightly contested of the match. Bryant took the early lead and led through much of the period, but the Hawks came back to tie the match at 15 and eventually lead by four. Bryant was able to stage their own comeback, using a late run to win 25-23. The Bulldogs had five aces in the set, including two each from Abby Rae and Mia Cergol.

Set 4: Bryant led the fourth set from the beginning, and were able to use an 8-1 run to pull away from Hartford and win the set convincingly. Emma McGovern had five kills in the period, and Mia Cergol and Alysa Wright each had three blocks.

Bulldog Notes and Notables

• Bryant had three players with at least ten kills in the match. Caroline Kennedy led with 14, Emma McGovern had 13, and Riley James had 12. The team's 56 total kills were one off their best mark of the season.

• McGovern and James each finished the match with double doubles. Both had 16 digs to go along with their 13 and 12 kills, respectively.

• Mia Cergol finished the match with 40 assists, her second highest total this season. She also had four kills, two aces, eight digs, and three blocks.

• Alysa Wright had six total blocks, tied for her second best this season. She also had nine kills and an ace.