September 09, 2009
BULLDOGS FALL TO HOLY CROSS, 3-1,
IN HOME OPENER WEDNESDAY NIGHT
Boxscore
SMITHFIELD, R.I. - Despite getting off to a strong start and a
first set win in Wednesday night's home opener, the Bryant
University volleyball team couldn't hold onto an early lead,
falling to Holy Cross, 3-1, at the Chace Athletic Center.
Sophomore duo Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.) and
Jazmin Stoner (Durango, Colo.) paced the Bulldogs
with 14 kills apiece while junior captain Adrienne Boss
(Dracut, Mass.) also tallied a double-digit kill day with
10, but it wouldn't be enough to stop the momentum of the Crusaders
(1-5), who earned their first win of the season.
The Bulldogs (1-6) started off strong, taking a convincing 25-20
win in the opening set. Bryant led by as many as eight, 18-10,
heading into the home stretch - thanks to eight-straight points off
freshman Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo, Hawaii) serves
- before Holy Cross began to chip away at the lead. The Crusaders
would pull within three, 23-20, before Bryant put the visitors away
with two quick kills to take a 1-0 advantage in the match.
But from there, the Crusaders would slowly build momentum for
the remainder of the contest.
The teams started off the second match in dueling fashion,
trading points for much of the first half until Holy Cross took a
four-point, 9-5 edge to force a Bryant timeout.
Out of the break, the Bulldogs temporarily took back a point,
but wouldn't be able to stave off strong Crusader services. Boss
brought the home side to within four, 18-14, but the Bulldogs would
score just one more point - coming off a service error at 24-15 -
before the challengers evened the match with a 25-15 win.
Bryant struggled again in the third set, despite getting four
kills from Scocca, three from Stoner and two apiece from Mitravich
and Boss. Four Crusaders recorded a trio of kills to lead the
visitors to a 25-18 lead and a 2-1 match advantage.
And as the Holy Cross momentum grew, the Bulldogs began to fade,
allowing the Crusader side four fourth-set aces, three to Angela
Chisholm. The visiting side recorded seven blocks in the set to
take an easy 25-13 win and a 3-1 match victory.
Three Holy Cross players collected double-digit kills on the day
while setter Chelsey O'Donnell recorded a game-high 42 assists.
Seniors Julie Geonnotti (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and
Adriana Fuertes (Miramar, Puerto Rico) split the
setting duties for the Bulldogs, grabbing 21 and 19, respectively.
Junior libero Robyn Gardner (Longwood, Fla.) led
the game defensively, earning 20 digs.
Holy Cross outblocked the Bulldogs, 10-1, with Callie Black
leading the way on four total stuffs (2 BS, 2 BA). Rookie
Emily Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) recorded the
Bulldogs' only block of the day.
But Bryant won't have time off to think about the loss, as the
Bulldogs return to the court Thursday night (Sept. 10) when they
travel to nearby Providence, R.I. to take on crosstown rival Brown
University at 7 p.m.
