Bulldogs Sweep UAlbany, Claim First America East Win

SMITHFIELD, R.I.- Riley James' 14 kills and .444 attack percentage led Bryant to their first America East Conference win Friday night. The Bulldogs swept UAlbany 3-0, improving to 1-1 in conference, 6-1 at home, and 11-8 overall on the season.

Alysa Wright and Emma McGovern also reached double-digit kills for Bryant, hitting .444 and .368 respectively. Wright also added two blocks and an ace.

Coach Garlacy's Comments: "I'm so proud of outside hitters Riley and Emma stepping up as senior leaders and playing aggressively. Setter Mia Cergol served hard, running a fast tempo and keeping Albany out of system. In the middle, Haley and Alysa had a great transition offense and had a solid blocking game. We played with heart and passion and once again defended home."

Bryant 3, UAlbany 0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-21)

Records: BRY (11-8, 1-1 AE), ALB (6-13, 1-2 AE)

How it Happened

Set 1: Both teams traded blows throughout the first, with neither team taking control until a 4-0 UAlbany run put the Great Danes up 17-13. Bryant responded with a 6-2 run of their own to tie the score again, then scored six of the final nine points to take a two-point set win. Wright and James led the offense with five kills each, and Mia Cergol had 14 assists.

Set 2: Emma McGovern kicked off Set 2 with a kill, but back-to-back points for the Great Danes set off another back-and-forth set. The Bulldogs eventually seized control, forcing a UAlbany timeout with a 5-2 run to take a 15-11 lead. The Great Danes would claw back to tie it at twenty, but three kills by James helped Bryant close out the set on a 5-2 run and take the win. Wright and McGovern both had four kills in the set, while Fabi Castro had two kills and two blocks.

Set 3: Just like Sets 1 and 2, the third started off as a see-saw battle with six ties and three lead changes before the media timeout. Bryant trailed 15-13 out of the break, but came back to tie the score three more times. Kills by Wright and McGovern broke a 19-19 tie and gave Bryant the lead for good, as they would go on to clinch the set and the match on a 6-2 run. James and McGovern combined for nine kills and just one error in the final set.

Bulldog Notes and Notables

• Riley James' 14 kills were one shy of her season-high of 15, set September 17 at UConn. Her .444 attack percentage was a season-high and tied for the team lead in the match.

• Mia Cergol recorded a season-high 37 assists, the second time this year and the 27th time in her career she's reached thirty or more in a match.

• Alysa Wright raised her season attack percentage to .294 with her ten-kill performance, and added a pair of blocks to bring her season total to 65. She ranks in the top ten in the America East in both categories.

• Tonight was Bryant's seventh sweep in eleven wins on the season, and marked the Bulldogs' third straight home win.

• The win was Bryant's first conference triumph in any sport since joining the America East this year.

What's next: The Bulldogs will be back in the Chace Center on Sunday, taking on New Hampshire at 1 pm.