KINGSTON, R.I.- The Bryant University women's volleyball team fell to Providence, 3-1, in its second match of the Ocean State Cup Saturday, Sept. 5 at Keaney Gymnasium.
The Bulldogs (2-4) were downed in set one before outlasting the Friars (4-1) in a gritty second set. Providence controlled the last two sets to come away with victory.
Kaitlin Curran posted a double-double with a game-high 14 kills and 12 digs, building on her outstanding start to the 2026 season.
Brookelyn Talmadge registered a season-high 10 kills on a .615 hitting percentage while Carrinna Barron tallied 20 digs.
QUOTE FROM HEAD COACH THERESA GARLACY:
"Despite a multitude of unforced errors and mistakes on our part, we still stayed in it with Providence. They are a big, strong team. We made a lot of first-contact errors, which is not like us, and Providence earned the win because of it.
Hannah Jackson continues to be a force for us, hitting from either pin.
Carrina Barron was phenomenal defensively for us today."
HOW IT HAPPENED:
SET 1- Providence, 25-19
- The Bulldogs took their first lead of the match at 4-3 off a Friars service error.
- Providence proceeded to string together a 7-2 surge to take a 10-6 advantage.
- The Friars later extended their margin to seven, 19-12, behind four straight points.
- Bryant won four of the next five rallies, highlighted by two straight kills from Curran, to force a Providence timeout.
- Curran added two more kills out the break but the Friars never let the Bulldogs trail less than five the rest of the way before securing set one.
SET 2- Bryant, 25-23
- Back-to-back kills from Kalia Alvarado and Layla Olatunde gave Bryant an early 5-4 edge.
- Madison Keem subsequently dumped off a kill to grow the Bulldogs lead to 9-6.
- The Friars pulled within a point at 13-12, until Olatunde powered down two straight kills to restore Bryant's three-point margin.
- Providence trimmed its deficit to a point five more times over the next 11 rallies, but Bryant always had an answer. The Bulldogs held a 20-18 lead after a Lewandowski kill that prompted a Friars timeout.
- The Friars then knotted the score at 21-21, the first tie of the set since 6-6.
- Curran blasted a set-securing kill as Bryant outlasted Providence to tie a match at 1-1.
SET 3- Providence, 25-12
- The Friars jumped out an initial 9-4 advantage.
- Kills from Curran and Brookelyn Talmadge later put the Bulldogs down two at 11-9.
- Providence responded with a 7-2 run to take an 18-11 lead.
- Following a Bryant timeout, the Friars mounted a 7-1 surge to claim the set.
SET 4- Providence, 25-20
- Providence built a 10-5 lead through 15 rallies.
- Bryant found its footing as Talmadge drilled a kill and Curran delivered a service ace to trim the Bulldog's deficit to two at 11-9.
- Both sides traded scores until Curran and Lewandowski slammed down kills in two of three rallies to bring Bryant down a point, 15-14.
- The Friars outscored the Bulldogs 10-6 the duration of the set to win the match.
STATS AND NOTES:
- Hannah Jackson and Olatunde contributed eight kills each.
- Keem served up 35 assists.
- Curran has registered 73 points in six appearances and is averaging 3.13 kills per set.
- Barron has racked up 67 digs in five appearances and is averaging 3.29 digs per set.
NEXT UP:
The Bulldogs will face Brown in their final match of the Ocean State Cup on Sunday, Sept. 6 at Keaney Gymnasium. First serve is set for noon, and the match will be streamed on ESPN+.
