Bulldogs Defeat Syracuse in Marathon Weekend Opener

STORRS, CT- The Bryant women's volleyball team opened their weekend in Connecticut with a thrilling 3-2 win over Syracuse in the Dog Pound Challenge. Aubrey Lapour paced the Bulldogs with a career-high 20 kills and three blocks, while Caroline Kennedy and Alysa Wright each eclipsed double-digit kills in the match.

Coach Garlacy's Comments: "Total team effort tonight, our defense was stellar and the setters spread the offense brilliantly. London Hunt came off the bench and had an immediate impact. Once again Alysa was pretty unstoppable from the middle. Aubrey led us with twenty kills. All our hitters played with heart. The key tonight though was our gritty attitude and defensive intensity!"

Bryant 3, Syracuse 2 (26-24, 23-25, 27-25, 22-25, 15-11)

Records: BRY (8-5), SU (4-6)

How it Happened

Set 1: Fifteen ties and seven lead changes marked a back-and-forth opening set for the Bulldogs and Orange. Syracuse opened up a three-point lead late in the set, but Bryant responded with two kills by Caroline Kennedy and one by Haley O'Brien to tie the score. The Orange took the lead again, but an Aubrey Lapour kill and two Syracuse errors gave Bryant the 26-24 win. Kennedy led the Bulldogs with five kills and no errors in the set.

Set 2: Despite an early run by Syracuse, the Bulldogs were able to open up a decent lead in Set 2. They went on a 6-1 run to take the lead, eventually opening up a seven-point advantage. The Orange were able to claw back, however, tying the score at 19 before eventually taking the lead and winning the set. Lapour's six kills and two digs paced Bryant.

Set 3: Fabi Castro opened the third with a kill, but this time it was Syracuse taking the early advantage. Bryant came back to tie the score, as both teams traded the lead for much of the set. The Orange went on a 5-0 run to go ahead 22-17, but the Bulldogs fought back. Three straight kills from Castro, Alysa Wright, and Riley James turned a one-point deficit into a 27-25 set win. Wright and Lapour combined for nine kills in the set.

Set 4: The close battle continued in Set 4, as neither team went ahead by more than two points until Syracuse opened up a 19-16 lead. The Bulldogs responded with a pair of kills and some solid defense to tie the score, but could not take the lead. The Orange closed the set on a 3-0 run to force a deciding fifth. Lapour had another strong set, finishing with five kills and just one error.

Set 5: Again, both teams traded points to open the final set, but a 5-0 run by the Bulldogs opened up a commanding 10-5 lead. Syracuse was able to get within three, but kills by James, Kennedy, and Wright helped seal the deal and give Bryant the victory.

Bulldog Notes and Notables

• Aubrey Lapour set a new career-high with twenty kills in the match, doing so on a .340 attack percentage. She is the first Bulldog to reach twenty kills in a match this season.

• The Bulldogs' 72 kills were by far their most in a match this year, eclipsing the previous high of 58. It marks the eighth most kills by a Bryant team in a single match in the D-I era.

• Bryant also finished with a season-high 67 assists. Mia Cergol recorded a season-high 27 while Carolina Camacho added 22 for the Bulldogs. 

• The Bulldogs' ten service aces were their second most in a match this year. Alysa Wright and Riley James each had three while Cergol and Camacho each had two.