October 24, 2009
BRYANT FALLS IN REMATCH WITH
KNIGHTS, DROPS 3-2 DECISION ON ROAD
Boxscore
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - After falling to Bryant University, 3-2, in
mid-September, the Fairleigh Dickinson volleyball team avenged its
early-season loss Saturday afternoon, dropping the Bulldogs, 3-2,
at home at the Rothman Center.
Sophomore Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.) led the
Bulldogs (9-17, 4-4 Northeast Conference) with 16 kills on the
match, tying a contest high with seven blocks. Senior Julie
Geonnotti (Eden Prairie, Minn.) also had a strong day,
collecting a double-double (13 assists, 10 digs) with seven kills
and four blocks.
The match started out in Bryant's favor as the visiting Black
and Gold took a 1-0 lead on the back of a 25-20 first-set victory.
But in the second, the Bulldogs struggled to score, falling, 25-12
as the Knights (4-19, 1-6) served up five aces and recorded 14 of
their 24 total blocks in the set.
The Bulldogs were narrowly defeated in the third to give the
home side a 2-1 lead, 25-22, but came back in the fourth set by the
same score to even the match at two sets apiece.
Bryant raced out to a 6-2 lead to open the shortened deciding
set, but would let its advantage dwindle as FDU knotted the score
at 7-7. A back-and-forth game would ensue until the Knights took a
14-11 edge thanks to strong serving from Meaghan Wheeler.
The Bulldogs would take the next two points, forcing an FDU
timeout, but a blocking error by Scocca would end the match and the
Bryant comeback as the Knights took a 15-13 fifth-set decision and
a 3-2 conference win.
Rookie Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo, Hawaii) led
the team with 20 digs on the day, adding eight kills, second to
only Scocca. She put up a trio of Bryant's 17 blocks with two
assists. Senior Adriana Fuertes (Miramar, Puerto
Rico) collected 26 assists to lead the Bulldogs, while
Jadith Lorenzo (Lawrence, Mass.) served up five of
the Bulldogs' six aces on the match.
Ali Philbrick paced the Knights offensively, collecting a
match-best 19 kills with five digs and two aces. Wheeler also
recorded double-digit kills (13), while Sarah Willey's game-high 42
assists and 11 digs earned her a double-double of her own. Kelsey
Semler collected a contest-high 21 digs. Overall, FDU recorded 13
aces from six different players, adding 24 total blocks.
Bryant returns to action Sunday, when its travels to Sacred
Heart to take on the Pioneers at 1 p.m.
