September 15, 2009
BULLDOGS NIPPED BY WILDCATS, 3-1,
AT HOME TUESDAY NIGHT
Boxscore
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Despite the momentum the Bulldogs had coming
off a strong win and playing at home, the Bryant University
volleyball team would struggle against the visiting University of
New Hampshire, falling, 3-1, to the Wildcats at the Chace Athletic
Center Tuesday night.
The Bulldogs (2-7), led by 11 kills from sophomore
Jazmin Stoner (Durango, Colo.), couldn't muster
much offense in the opening and closing sets, falling, 25-15, in
both the first and the fourth frames.
To open the contest, Bryant fell behind early and trailed the
entire set as the Wildcats (3-7) extended their lead to 19-10
behind five-straight serves from Jayde Huxtable. The Bulldogs would
eventually go down by as many as 11 before finally falling into a
1-0 match hole.
In the second set, it was a series of serving streaks that
earned the home side a lead mid-frame - and they would hold it to
even the match at 1-1.
Down, 6-5, freshman Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo,
Hawaii) served the Bulldogs to a 7-6 lead, one that senior
Adriana Fuertes (Miramar, Puerto Rico) would grow
to a 13-8 advantage on the back of a service ace and two-straight
kills from Stoner. Fuertes's five-point serving
run would force the Wildcats to call a timeout.
Stoner continued her strong offensive play as the serve turned
to junior libero Robyn Gardner (Longwood, Fla.) at
14-11 in Bryant's favor, moving the Bulldogs' lead to six points -
17-11 - thanks to a UNH attack error and two more consecutive
kills.
UNH would bring the set within four points and then go
point-for-point with the Bulldogs until 23-19, when a kill from
senior setter/rightside Julie Geonnotti (Eden Prairie,
Minn.) and a big-time block from Geonnotti and sophomore
Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.) would close out the
set in Bryant's favor.
The third set wouldn't go as well for the Bulldogs, who found
themselves in an early 4-0 hole thanks to strong serving from Kate
Uitti and errors by the Bulldogs on the attack.
Bryant wouldn't make up that ground until the end of the set,
when kills by Stoner and Scocca, combined with some opportune
serving by Gardner, brought the home side back to within two,
20-18.
Another block from Geonnotti and Scocca preceded a Scocca kill
that would move Bryant even closer, 21-20, again forcing a UNH
timeout.
But out of the break, the Wildcats would hold strong to take a
25-23 win in the most closely contested set of the evening. Both
teams would record six blocks in the frame, with Scocca collected a
pair of solo blocks and a block assist for the Bulldogs.
In the fourth, the Wildcat hitters took over, led by Lauren
Laquerre's .636 hitting percentage on eight kills. And with Bryant
still in it at 18-15 in favor of UNH, Wildcat Lindsay Fogarty would
serve the final seven points - including a service ace to win it -
to earn the 25-15 set victory and a 3-1 match win.
Laquerre paced the game's offense on the day, recording 12 kills
while teammate Pauline Acres collected 10. Stoner would be the only
Bulldog to record double-digit kills, with 11. Uitti registered a
game-high 38 assists while Geonnotti led Bryant with 16. Gardner
recorded a match-best 19 digs on the night, while UNH outblocked
the Bulldogs, 15-14. Scocca and Wildcat Justine Elliott each
recorded five blocks.
The Bulldogs now take most of the week off before returning to
the court Friday and Saturday for the Columbia Tournament, where
they will face off against the hosts on Friday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m.
The weekend continues Saturday afternoon, when Bryant squares off
against Lehigh (1:30 p.m.) and Northeast Conference foe Fairleigh
Dickinson (4:30 p.m.).
