Volleyball Drops Five-Set Battle to Bryant

The Central Connecticut volleyball team rallied from a two-set deficit to force a decisive fifth set, before falling 3-2 to visiting non-conference opponent Bryant University Tuesday night in New Britain, CT. The Blue Devils hit .166 and record 14.5 blocks as a team in the match.

GAME INFORMATION
Score:  Bryant 3, CCSU 0 (25-15, 25-16, 15-25, 21-25, 15-11)
Records: CCSU (10-9), Bryant (13-9)
Location: Detrick Gymnasium | New Britain, CT

KEY MOMENTS 

• The first set featured seven ties, all in the first 14 points of the match, the last coming at 7-7 on a Nyjha Marcelin kill. Bryant scored the next two points and 13 of the next 15 to take a 20-9 lead on the way to the first set victory.
• The Bulldogs jumped out to a 7-2 lead in the second set, and never trailed, hitting .233 in the set, to take a 2-0 lead
• With the Bulldogs leading the third set 4-1, Lauren Milani converted a pass from Tori Boulay to start a run that tied the match 5-5. Bryant rebuilt the lead at 7-6 before the Blue Devils rattled off six of eight points, capped by a Weronika Poczynek ace to take a 13-9 lead that it would not relinquish on the way to a set victory.
• The Blue Devils jumped out quickly in the fourth set, thanks in large part to three consecutive points, and four of five, via the block, to take an 8-3 advantage. Bryant rallied to take the lead, in a set the featured seven ties and four lead changes, with the Bulldogs last lead at 13-12 after a Blue Devils service error
• A Marcelin kill followed, tying the set for the final time, and kickstarted a 6-0 run behind the service of Poczynek that gave the Blue Devils an 18-13 lead. Bryant would close within one, 19-18, before back-to-back blocks pushed CCSU to a 6-3 run to end the set and draw the match even.
• Bryant scored the first four points of the final set and never trailed, despite the Blue Devils rallying to tie the set at 5-5 and again at 6-6. Bryant scored three straight to take command of the final set.

NUMBER TO KNOW

27 - Central notched a season-best 27 block assists on the night, and finished with a season-best 14.5 total blocks

NOTES 

• CCSU had 6.5 blocks in the fourth set
• Milani, an NEC Prime Performer as announced Tuesday afternoon, led the Blue Devils with 15 kills and hit .233
• Natalie Novak handed out 22 assists and Tori Boulay finished with 21 assists
• Isabelle Roufs, named NEC Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday, recorded seven blocks, tied for the match-high with Novak
• Poczynek finished with 10 kills and nine digs, while Marcelin recorded eight kills
• Isabella Bratzke hit .545 Tuesday, with six kills and no errors in 11 attacks

UP NEXT
CCSU returns to Northeast Conference action on Friday, travelling to Fairfield, CT for a 5:00 pm match with Sacred Heart University.