Volleyball Ends Season with 3-1 Loss to Queens In Semifinals
November 19, 2004
QUEENS, NY - The 2004 Bryant University women's volleyball season came to an end Friday night as the short-handed Bulldogs fell to host Queens College 3-1 in the NCAA Division II Northeast Regional semifinals here at Fitzgerald Gym. Game scores were 30-32, 30-25, 30-24, 30-25. Bryant ends its season 35-6 overall after reaching the NCAA tournament for sixth-straight time and eighth overall.
Bryant entered the match without one of its top offensive weapons in Jessica Henson (Bedford, TX). The 2004 Northeast-10 Freshman of the Year suffered an injury on the final play of Thursday night's win over Mercy and did not suit up against Queens on Friday.
With Henson cheering on from the bench, the Bulldogs came out and took it right to the Knights and held the emotional edge for the entire night. Bryant raced out to a 7-1 lead and led virtually the entire game before Knights put together a late rally after trailing Bryant 29-24.
However, Michelle Muniz (Guaynabo, PR) hammered away and beat the Queens' blockers with two quick hits as Bryant won 32-30.
Queens, behind 27 kills from Anna Bodarenko, would rally and stave off the Bulldogs in the second to win 30-25. In the third, Bryant used strong serving to take a 15-14 lead and led 24-22 following an ace from Vanessa Lavallee (Danville, NH). Lavallee, starting in the place of Henson, had a season-best 11 kills and career-high four service aces in the match.
Queens, would come back strong in the third behind the hitting of Bondarenko and Masha Mosenzhnik to win 30-24 and take a 2-1 lead in the match.
In the fourth, the Bulldogs fell behind early and could never recover. Trailinig 21-12, Bryant made one last effort as Muniz continued to play well with well-timed kills, helping Bryant pull to within 23-19, but Queens made a second-straight return trip to the NCAA Regional Final with a 30-25 win in the fourth.
Carola Pierluisi, Bryant's lone senior, had 25 digs in the match for Bryant. Bryant had 12 service aces in the match.
