Box Score CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Bryant University women's volleyball team was swept by Appalachian State, 3-0, in its final match of the Charlotte Tournament on Sunday, Aug. 30 at Halton Arena.
The Bulldogs (0-3) dropped their first two sets to the Mountaineers (2-1). After finding themselves down 24-15 in the third set, they scored seven straight points to keep the match alive but fell just short of forcing a fourth set.
Kaitlin Curran continued her dominant start to the 2026 season, tallying 12 kills on a .333 hitting percentage and .500 kill percentage. She was named to the All-Tournament Team postgame.
COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH THERESA GARLACY:
"Today we saw the best hitting percentage of the weekend with Maddie (Keem) running a much faster tempo and connecting with a variety of attackers. Having Carrina (Barron) and Claudia (Camacho-Castro) on the court together is so fun to watch and frustrates our opponents. Layla (Olatunde) had another good outing and continues to grow. Kaitlin (Curran) was so solid all weekend and was recognized as all-tournament."
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET 1- App State, 25-19
- The Mountaineers jumped out to a 7-3 lead to begin the match.
- Bryant answered with three straight kills, delivered by Layla Olatunde, Cara Lewandowski, and Madison Keem, to trim its deficit to 7-6. Three rallies later, the Bulldogs leveled the score at 8-8 through an App State receiving error.
- The Bulldogs knotted the score twice more, at 9-9 and 13-13, before the Mountaineers rattled off five unanswered points to go up 18-13, forcing a Bryant timeout.
- App State never let Bryant get closer than four points out the break, eventually claiming the set.
SET 2- App State, 25-18
- Bryant and App State were deadlocked at 5-5 through the first 10 rallies. Lewandowski produced three of those Bulldogs' points on two kills and a solo block.
- After three more ties and four lead changes, the Mountaineers created separation with a 14-10 advantage.
- Two kills from Curran and one from Olatunde brought the Bulldogs within two, 15-13, but App State later extended its edge back to four, 22-18.
- The Mountaineers registered three straight points out a Bryant timeout to take the set.
SET 3- App State, 25-22
- Pairs of kills from Hannah Jackson and Lewandowski fueled an early 6-4 Bryant lead.
- App State took an 8-7 advantage off two straight kills before Curran slammed down one of her own to tie things up.
- A service ace from Keem put the Bulldogs back ahead at 11-10 until the Mountaineers crafted an 8-2 run to hold an 18-13 cushion, prompting a Bryant timeout. App State then pushed its margin to match point at 24-15.
- With their backs against the wall, the Bulldogs did not go down without a fight. Bryant erupted for seven unanswered points to shrink its deficit to 24-22. In that span, Curran slammed down four kills while Alicia Johansen added two.
- The Mountaineers ultimately tacked on a final point to complete the sweep.
STATS AND NOTES:
- Jackson, Lewandowski and Olatunde all put up six kills.
- Curran has totaled 10 or more kills in all three matches the Bulldogs have played this season.
UP NEXT:
The Bulldogs return to Smithfield to take on Stonehill in their home opener at Chace Athletic Center on Wednesday, Sep. 2. First serve is set for 7 p.m.
