September 19, 2010

BULLDOGS SWEEP SECOND DAY OF WEST POINT CHALLENGE WEEKEND, TOP AIR FORCE AND BUFFALO

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – The Bryant University volleyball team played a pair of five-game matches Sunday in the final day of the West Point Challenge, winning both contests in the deciding set to earn a share of the tournament title with host Army.

The Bulldogs' (11-5) Sunday sweep featured not only a pair of 3-2 victories over Air Force (2-10) and Buffalo (10-5), but also the breakout weekend of rookie Kaitlyn Klein (Modesto, Calif.), who amassed 26 kills in Day 2 action, including a career-best 15 in the afternoon win over the Falcons.

Junior Jazmin Stoner (Durango, Colo.) posted another stellar weekend as well, leading the team with 30 kills Sunday and posting a team-best 17 against Buffalo. Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.) also had strong showing, but it was her defense that truly shined Sunday, as the junior collected 18 total blocks in the pair of matches, including a 12-stuff outing against the Bulls – the second-highest block total of her career.

Bryant opened the day in a 0-2 hole against Air Force, taking 25-19 and 25-20 wins in the third and fourth game to force the decider, where the Bulldogs topped the Falcons, 15-11, to earn the match win.

Sophomore setter Jadith Lorenzo (Lawrence, Mass.) posted her tenth double-double of the season in the five-set affair, dishing out a match-best 48 assists while chipping in 11 digs and adding a trio of block assists. Lorenzo was just a single kill away from the elusive triple-double, adding nine kills for the Bulldogs with a .643 hitting percentage in the match.

Scocca led the contest with 17 kills and six blocks, while Klein boasted a career-best 15-kill performance, adding a pair of blocks. Stoner complimented a 13-kill outing with a trio of aces and two stuffs while senior Robyn Gardner (Lake Brantley, Fla.) paced the match with 14 digs.

In the Sunday nightcap, the Bulldogs got behind early again, dropping the first game to Buffalo, 25-18. But the Black and Gold would rebound quickly, taking the next game, 25-23, to knot the contest at 1-1.

The teams would trade games again over the next two sets, sending the match into the fifth and final frame. Klein and Stoner each recorded three kills in the deciding game while Scocca and sophomore Emily Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) teamed up for two block assists each to lead the Bulldogs to a 15-12 win in the game and a 3-2 match victory to close out tournament play.

Klein recorded her third-straight double-digit kill total against the Bulls with 11 while Stoner's 17 led the side. Scocca added five kills to her match-best 12 blocks (2 solo) and Kaup saw the highest kill output of her career with 10, adding a season-high six blocks. Lorenzo's 39 assists paced the match.

Lorenzo finished the tournament with 142 assists and 22 kills, adding a pair of service aces, 36 digs and seven blocks to earn all-tournament team honors. Scocca was also named to the West Point Challenge All-Tournament team, boasting an impressive 23 blocks and 38 kills with a team-best seven aces in four matches.

Klein's weekend ended with 41 total kills, second best among all Bulldogs, with a .295 hitting percentage, while Stoner recorded a Bryant-best 48 kills on the weekend. She added four aces, 16 digs and seven blocks.

Both Army and Bryant finished the weekend with a 3-1 record, best among the tournament teams.

The Bulldogs leave 2010 tournament play behind them with the conclusion of the West Point Challenge Weekend and have one more non-conference match Wednesday, Sept. 22 before entering into Northeast Conference action. Bryant will travel to Hartford Wednesday for a 6 p.m. matchup.