Volleyball Beats SFU, Holds 1st in NEC

SMITHFIELD, R.I.- The Bryant women's volleyball team took over sole possession of first place in the NEC with a 3-1 win over Saint Francis (PA). It is the Bulldogs' fourth straight win.

Match Information

Bryant 3, SFU 1 (22-25, 25-19, 25-21, 25-21)

Records: Bryant (14-9, 6-1 NEC) SFU (9-10, 5-2 NEC)

Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.)

Coach Garlacy's Comments

"What a great atmosphere to play in, with all our family, friends, and alumni to support us. We responded to the red flash's fast offense with blocks, and scrappy defense. Mia spread the offense well, Caroline came up with big swings when the game was on the line, and Aubrey was fierce in the front row. It was a championship level match all-around."

How it Happened:

Set 1: The first set had the most ties and lead changes of the match, with both teams going back and forth. Bryant led late, before a 6-0 run by the Red Flash gave them a 25-22 win. Alysa Wright and Riley James had a pair of kills each for the Bulldogs, who forced eight SFU errors.

Set 2: St. Francis scored the first three points in the second set, and led all the way until Bryant tied the score at twelve. The Bulldogs scored six of the next seven points to take a commanding lead, and went on to win the set by six. Caroline Kennedy had five kills for Bryant, who hit .393 in the set as a team.

Set 3: The Bulldogs took control early in the third, taking the lead at 2-1 and keeping it for the rest of the set. They withstood a late run by the Red Flash but were able to hold on and win by four. Mia Cergol had ten of Bryant's 11 assists in the set, and also threw in a block and a kill.

Set 4: Bryant struck first in the final set, but SFU went on a run to take a 5-2 lead. The Red Flash opened the lead to as many as six points before the Bulldogs mounted their comeback. Bryant scored 21 of the final 32 points to turn the deficit into a four point advantage, winning the set 25-21. Aubrey Lapour and Haley O'Brien had three kills each for Bryant, who held SFU to an .057 attack percentage in the set.

Bulldog Notes and Notables

• Caroline Kennedy led Bryant with 10 kills and had three block assists. In the fourth set, she became the fourth Bulldog in the D-I era with 1000 career kills.

• Bryant totaled 12 blocks in the match, their second most this season. Alysa Wright led the way with seven block assists, and Haley O'Brien had five.

• Bryant has now won four straight matches and nine of their last ten. They are in sole possession of first place in the NEC with seven matches remaining in the regular season.