SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Bryant University head coach Theresa Garlacy collected her 500^th career victory as the Bulldogs swept Coppin State in the first of two matches Saturday at the Hampton Inn-vitational.

Sophomore Erika Ward (Rochester, Mich.) tallied 20 digs in the three-set victory, while redshirt-senior Julia Flynn (Pembroke, Mass.) recorded a team-high 12 kills.

Match Information
Bryant 3, Coppin State 0 (25-22, 25-16, 25-23)
Records: Bryant (6-4); Coppin State (2-9)
Location: Chace Athletic Center (Smithfield, R.I.) 

How it Happened

• Set 1 – The 25-22 final margin was the largest of the set, as senior Julia Malet (San Rafael, Calif.) closed out the first set with an ace. Flynn tallied five kills in the set.
• Set 2 – Three early kills form junior Brianna Bruny (Biscayne Park, Fla.) put Bryant ahead 8-2, but the Eagle block stepped up to bring Coppin State back within one at 8-7. Bryant led 18-16 before scoring the final seven points of the set to win it 25-16. Four different Bulldogs recorded kills in the final seven points.
• Set 3 – Coppin State led 14-13 before a 7-2 Bryant run put the Bulldogs up four. The Eagles tied the set at 21 before four kills – two from freshman Caroline Kennedy (San Juan Capistrano, Calif.) and one from senior Kristin Kingi (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) gave the Bulldogs match point. Senior Grace Richmeyer (DeSoto, Mo.) closed it out with a kill on 24-23 to sweep the match.

Stats/Notes                                                         

• Flynn collected 12 kills, seven digs and two blocks.
• Kennedy recorded 11 kills for her ninth double-digit kill total in 10 collegiate matches.
• Ward notched 20 digs, while Kingi added 15.
• Sophomore Brianna Bruny (Biscayne Park, Fla.) notched eight kills on a .438 hitting percentage (8-1-16).
• Bryant hit .223 in the match, as opposed to .120 for Coppin State.
• Bryant improves to 2-0 all-time against Coppin State. The Bulldogs went 2-0 against the MEAC in 2018.
• The Bulldogs improve to 39-5 (.886) at the Chace Athletic Center since the start of the 2015 season.
• Head coach Theresa Garlacy wins her 500^th career match on the 22^nd anniversary of her first career victory, Sept. 8, 1996 against Saint Michael's.

Up Next
The Bulldogs close out the Hampton Inn-vitational at 5 p.m. against Quinnipiac.

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