SMITHFIELD, R.I. - The Bryant University women's volleyball team was defeated by Marist, 3-1, and Fordham, 3-0, on the second and final day of the Bryant Invitational at the Chace Athletic Center on Saturday, Sept. 12.
Carrina Barron was honored prior to the Fordham match for reaching 1,000 career digs on Aug. 28 against Charlotte. Barron is one of nine Bulldogs to surpass the mark in Bryant's Division I era.
The Bulldogs (4-8) took the third set against the Red Foxes (4-6) and only lost the second and fourth sets by a combined six points. Bryant nearly forced a fourth set against the Rams (6-4) but ultimately lost the third set, 26-24.
Hannah Jackson racked up a career and team-high 16 kills, and Barron tallied a team-high 16 digs against Marist. Nina Gavin led Bryant with six kills against Fordham.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Marist
SET 1- Marist, 25-17
- The Red Foxes opened the match with a 14-8 advantage after scoring four straight points.
- Bryant would win three of the next four rallies, with a pair of kills coming from Alicia Johansen, to only trail 15-11.
- Marist outscored the Bulldogs 10-6 the remainder of the set.
SET 2- Marist, 27-25
- After a Kaitlin Curran kill put Bryant up 8-7, the Red Foxes scored four unanswered points to take an 11-8 edge.
- The Bulldogs responded with a 5-0 run, featuring two kills from Johansen and one from Curran, to lead 13-11.
- Both sides battled back and forth to a 24-24 deadlock. Sophia Gonzalez delivered an ace to give the Bulldog's a one-point lead, but Marist scored three straight points to claim the set.
SET 3- Bryant, 25-21
- The Bulldogs jumped out to a 9-3 advantage following a kill from Madison Keem and block from Layla Olatunde.
- Marist later closed the gap and recorded a kill to go down three, 22-19.
- Bryant would not let the Red Foxes threaten any closer, as Kalia Alvarado crushed the set-securing kill.
SET 4- Marist, 25-21
- The Red Foxes rattled off a 5-0 surge to maintain a 9-7 edge.
- Bryant took back the lead at 19-18 after Jackson slammed down back-to-back kills.
- Marist ended the set with four straight points to seal the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED: Fordham
SET 1- Fordham, 25-16
- The Rams built a 19-10 lead through a 9-2 run.
- Bryant later went a 5-1 run, highlighted by two Jackson kills, to go down 23-16.
- Fordham registered two straight kills to take the opening set.
Set 2- Fordham, 25-15
- Keem dropped off a kill to bring Bryant within a point at 9-8.
- The Rams then extended their lead to 17-10 with an 8-2 surge.
- Fordham scored in four of the last five rallies to close the set.
Set 3- Fordham, 26-24
- The Bulldogs raced to an 9-4 edge off a kill from Olatunde and attack error.
- Fordham carried a 21-19 lead after 30 rallies.
- The Rams scored again before Bryant put together a 5-0 run to go up 24-22. Fordham answered with a 4-0 run to complete the sweep.
COMMENT FROM HEAD COACH THERESA GARLACY AFTER MARIST MATCH:
"Great experience for our young players today. Alicia hit .600 and found creative ways to score. Hannah was a warrior, hitting from multiple locations and showing great leadership on the court. Overall, a good team effort."
STATS AND NOTES:
- Johansen posted a career-high 12 kills on a .600 hitting percentage against Marist.
- Laura René-Fraser recorded her first career points with two kills against Marist.
- Barron logged 12 digs against Fordham and has tallied 10-or-more digs in nine matches this season.
NEXT UP:
The Bulldogs return to action against Manhattan on Wednesday, Sept. 16 at the Chace Athletic Center. First serve is set for 6 p.m., and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.
