September 26, 2010

BACKED BY LORENZO'S TRIPLE-DOUBLE, BULLDOGS RETURN TO WINNING WAYS WITH 3-2 VICTORY OVER QUINNIPIAC

SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Sophomore setter Jadith Lorenzo (Lawrence, Mass.) recorded the program's first triple-double since 2008 and just the second since 1997, while five different Bulldogs set new career highs as the Bryant University volleyball team fought for a 3-2 victory over league rival Quinnipiac at home Sunday afternoon.

Lorenzo's triple-double effort came in the form of 11 kills, 52 assists and 16 digs as the second-year setter led the Bulldogs (13-6, 1-1 NEC) back from an 0-2 deficit to beat the Bobcats (2-12, 0-1) in five sets to return the team to even in Northeast Conference action.

Lorenzo set personal single-match bests in kills and assists in the effort, falling just a single dig shy of tying her career-high digs mark as well. But she wasn't the only record-setter of the day for the Black and Gold.

Gardner's 36 digs in the Bulldogs' 3-2 win over Quinnipiac were both a match- and career-best for the senior captain.

Senior libero Robyn Gardner (Lake Brantley, Fla.) put forth a career day defensively, picking up a match-best and career-high 36 digs, while rookies Alexandria Clyburn (Cartersville, Ga.), Kaitlyn Klein (Modesto, Calif.) and Kendall Gaffney (Colorado Springs, Colo.) joined the pair in posting career outings, each recording new career-high kill numbers in the five-game victory.

Klein's 18 kills were not only the most in her young career, but were also the match high on the day, while Gaffney earned her second-career double-double with personal-best marks in kills (16) and digs (17), also chipping in a career-best six assists. Clyburn's eight kills and match-best seven blocks both went in the books as career highs for the freshman.

But the day didn't start out as well as it ended, as Bryant fell into a 2-0 hole to the Bobcats out of the gates. The teams needed a multitude of extra points to decide the first frame, with Quinnipiac finally battling to the top with a 34-32 game-one win.

In the second set, the Bulldogs saw a 10-4 advantage dissipate as Quinnipiac came back to not just tie it, but to take yet another extra-point victory, 27-25, despite 12 blocks from the Bryant side in the frame, including four apiece from Clyburn and sophomore Emily Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.).

And with Quinnipiac needing just one more win to take the match, the Black and Gold dug in, unwilling to take their second loss in as many days.

In the third, Klein collected six kills on just eight attacks for an impressive .750 hitting percentage, also adding a solo block, while Gardner dug up 10 to lead the home side to a 25-20 win that cut the deficit in half.

Bryant then took a 25-19 victory in the fourth set to tie the match up at 2-2, thanks to a .406 team attack percentage led by four kills apiece from Kaup, Gaffney and Lorenzo.

But in the final deciding set, the home team got off to a less-than-desirable start, falling behind, 4-1, on the back of consecutive aces from Bobcat Stephanie Biediger. While Bryant would knot the game at 5-5, they would find themselves in another hole at 9-6.

The Bulldogs would come back to take seven of the next nine points for a 13-11 fifth-frame advantage over its opponent, but the lead would be short-lived, as Quinnipiac tied it up again at 14-14, forcing the third extra-point set in five games.

But an attack error by Olivia Grattan, who led the Bobcats with 17 kills on the day, and a big kill from Lorenzo with the score at 15-14 brought the match to a close in favor of the Bulldogs, 16-14. Lorenzo would record eight assists in the shortened fifth game alone.

On the day, five Bulldogs recorded double-digit digs while Gardner and Klein each served up a pair of aces. Clyburn's contest-best seven blocks were matched only by Kaup (each had a solo block) as the Black and Gold outstuffed its opponent, 22-17.

A quartet of Bobcats collected double-figure kill totals, while Kayla Lawler registered all but one of Quinnipiac's assists with a match-best 61. Logan Riker's 31 digs paced the visitors on the afternoon.

The Bulldogs return to Northeast Conference action Oct. 2-3 when they travel to western Pennsylvania to take on Robert Morris (Saturday at 1 p.m.) and Saint Francis (PA) (Sunday at 12 p.m.).