September 25, 2009

BULLDOGS HOST 2009 BRYANT INVITATIONAL SATURDAY AND SUNDAY, WELCOME BROWN, HOWARD AND COPPIN STATE TO THE CHACE ATHLETIC CENTER

September 24, 2009

BULLDOGS HOST 2009 BRYANT INVITATIONAL SATURDAY AND SUNDAY

Bryant welcomes Brown, Howard and Coppin State to Chace Athletic Center

SMITHFIELD, R.I. -- The Bryant University volleyball team welcomes Brown, Howard and Coppin State to the Chace Athletic Center this weekend to compete in the 2009 Bryant Invitational, hosted by the Bulldogs Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sunday, Sept 27.

The Bulldogs (3-10) will play each of the three teams, facing off against Howard (1-6) Saturday at 1 p.m. before a rematch with intrastate rival Brown (3-6) at 4 p.m. Bryant will return to the court Sunday afternoon, when it takes on Coppin State (0-12) at 1 p.m.

The Coppin State Eagles (0-12)
Coppin State vs. Howard - Sunday @ 10 a.m.
Coppin State vs. Bryant - Sunday @ 1 p.m.

Common Bryant Opponents: Hartford (0-3 L), Providence (0-3 L)

Coppin State will play five matches in three days when it comes to New England, as the Eagles will participate in the Providence College Tournament Friday and Saturday before making the short trip to Bryant for a pair of Sunday matches.

The Eagles are winless in 12 tries on the season entering their Friday matchups -- they have won just one set on the season, in a 3-1 loss to Montana State -- and will be looking for the opportunity to change that in Smithfield. Ashley Saunders leads the way for Coppin State, collecting 71 kills in 37 sets (1.92 k/s) to go along with team bests in blocks with 23 (7 solo, 16 assists) and aces with nine. Setter Tricia Baczek is another danger on the serve, recording nine aces of her own to compliment 108 assists (3.60 a/s). Christina Epps is the only other Eagle with a double-digit block total (14-7 solo, 8 assists), while no one else comes close to Saunders's offensive totals. Kanishia Sheppard is second on the team entering Friday competition with 39 kills, while Epps has 34 to her name. Yolanda Reid boasts the team's highest attack percentage at .278, making good for 16 kills on 36 attempts.

The Brown Bears (3-6)
Brown vs. Howard - Saturday @ 10 a.m.
Brown vs. Bryant - Saturday @ 4 p.m.

Common Bryant Opponents: Providence (3-1 W), Bryant (1-3 L), New Hampshire (1-3 L), Holy Cross (3-2 W, 3-1 W)

Brown enters the Chace Athletic Center with something to prove come the 4 p.m. match. After losing to the Bulldogs once already this season (a 3-1 home loss on Sept. 10) -- thanks in part to double-doubles from Julie Geonnotti (18 assists, 13 digs) and Maria Scocca (16 kills and a single-match program record 15 blocks) -- Brown will look to get offensive weapons Brianna Williamson (79 kills, 9 aces, 91 digs), Megan Toman (68 kills, team-high 11 aces) and Christina Berry (60 kills, 103 digs) going for a better result in this weekend's rematch.

But first, the Bears will have to get past Howard in the early game. Brown comes packed with both offensive and defensive weapons, maybe none more potent than Danielle Vaughan, who with 51 kills and 21 total blocks in 24 sets will be difficult to shut down. Her 21 blocks (10 solo, 11 assists) lead four Bears with double digit blocking totals, including Ann Cowell, who has an impressive 12 blocks (2 solo, 10 assists) in just 17 sets on the year.

Spencer McAndrews will handle the setting duties for Brown, as she has 195 on the season, while a pair of Bears have more than 100 digs on the year (Berry, 103 and Carly Cotton, 163).

The Howard Bison (1-16)
Howard vs. Brown - Saturday @ 10 a.m.
Howard vs. Bryant - Saturday @ 1 p.m.
Howard vs. Coppin State - Sunday @ 10 a.m.

Common Bryant Opponents: None

The Bison have been met with intermittent success in 2009, keeping matches close but ultimately falling in all but one contest, a 3-1 victory over N.C. Central on Sept. 10.

Gazelle D'Artios carries the bulk of the offensive load for Howard and has 199 of the Bison's 550 kills, averaging 3.49 kills per set. But the name of the game for Howard is blocking. Eight of 10 Bison players sport double-digit blocking totals, led by 44 (7 solo, 37 assists) from Gabrielle Martin, who also contributes 61 kills and a team-best .212 hitting percentage. Keri Partridge (26 tb) and Nia Moore (24 tb) each have more than 20 blocks with a combined 88 kills between them as well. Everyone chips in on offense with nine of Howard's 10 players in doublle digits for kills -- including setter Jasmine King (459 assists, 20 kills, 102 digs, 16 blocks).

Jiyana Brown, in addition to her 48 kills, has proved quite dangerous on the serve, recording 14 aces, while libero Nicole Brown averages 3.11 digs per set (177 total) and a squad-high 17 aces. Four Bison -- Nicole Brown (177), D'Artois (128), Jiyana Brown (106) and King (102) -- have recorded over 100 digs on the year.

The Bryant Bulldogs (3-10)
Bryant vs. Howard - Saturday @ 1 p.m.
Bryant vs. Brown - Saturday @ 4 p.m.
Bryant vs. Coppin State - Sunday @ 1 p.m.

Key Wins: Providence (3-2), Brown (3-1), Fairleigh Dickinson (3-2)

After three tries, the Bulldogs are still looking for their first win at home and hope to get it this weekend as they host the Bryant Invitational at the Chace Athletic Center. Bryant is led by reigning Northeast Conference Player of the Week Maria Scocca (Melrose, Mass.). The sophomore phenom leads the teams in a number of offensive categories, including kills (178), blocks (62), attack percentage (.319) and points (224.5). Scocca is one of three Bulldogs to register double-digit service aces (13) and has been named the Division I All-Independent Player of the Week and Defensive Player of the Week prior to her current NEC Player of the Week nod. She averages 3.56 kills per set.

Joining her as a major offensive threat is fellow sophomore Jazmin Stoner (Durango, Colo.), who is the only other Bulldog with over 100 kills. Her 139 kills (2.78 k/s) and .181 hitting percentage rank No. 2 on the team, while her 16 services aces are a squad best. Stoner has 12 blocks on the year with 124 digs.

Defensively, junior libero Robyn Gardner (Longwood, Fla.) paces the Bulldogs with 223 digs (4.46 d/s) and is also the third Bulldog with double digit aces (13). The senior duo of captain Julie Geonnotti (Eden Prairie, Minn.) and Adriana Fuertes (Miramar, Puerto Rico) have both been stellar in sharing the quarterbacking duties in 2009; Geonnotti leads the way with 252 assists while Fuertes has recorded 220 helpers in 50 sets for Bryant. Geonnotti, whose natural position is at outside hitter, has also chipped in on the attack, collecting 52 kills and 105 digs to compliment 35 total blocks (2 solo, 33 assists), good for second behind only Scocca.

A pair of rookies in Macy Mitravich (Waimanalo, Hawaii) and Emily Kaup (Chandler, Ariz.) have also stepped up big for the Bulldogs in 2009. Mitravich, who was named the NEC Rookie of the Week in the second week of conference honors, is third on the team in kills with 85 and has collected 19 blocks on the season with eight aces and 143 digs, also good for second on the team. Kaup has come on strong as of late, collecting 18 blocks in four contests last week for a total of 32 blocks (1 solo, 31 assists) on her rookie campaign. She has also registered 56 kills with a .153 attack percentage.