QU Volleyball Keeps Rolling, Earns 3-0 Sweep Over Bryant

Wednesday, August 31

Hamden, Conn.

7:00 PM

Quinnipiac University

4-1

Bryant University

2-3

Bryant

Quinnipiac

QU Volleyball Keeps Rolling, Earns 3-0 Sweep Over Bryant

8/31/2016 9:08:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

By: QU Sports Information

HAMDEN, Conn. - The Quinnipiac volleyball team had nine of its 16 blocks in the first set to jump out to a quick lead, and then battled to a pair of comeback 25-23 wins in the second and third sets to earn a 3-0 win over Bryant on Wednesday evening in its home opener at Burt Kahn Gymnasium.

Sophomore outside hitter Kat Miller (Collegeville, Pa.) had 10 kills and a team-high eight blocks to lead the way for the Bobcats, who improve to 4-1 overall on the year with their third straight win, surpassing last season's win total (3-28) in the first week of the season. Quinnipiac also defeated Bryant, which used to be a conference rival in the Northeast Conference, for the first time in its Division I history after an 0-12 mark in the first 12 meetings. The Bulldogs fall to 2-3 on the young season with the loss.

After falling behind 3-1 to start the match, Quinnipiac had blocks on four straight points to take the lead, and then added another one to make the score 8-4, giving them five blocks on their first eight points.  Senior middle hitter Allison Leigh (Palmer, Alaska) had a hand in four of them, while Miller added a solo block in the run.

Quinnipiac controlled the first set the rest of the way, building up a 17-10 lead on a Leigh kill off an overpass. Freshman outside hitter Natalie Alechko (Old Tappan, N.J.) had a kill to make the score 23-16, and after a Bryant timeout, the Bobcats closed out the set with two more blocks with junior middle hitter Elizabeth Kloos (Munster, Ind.) having a hand in both of them.

Bryant adjusted in the second set and was able to avoid the Quinnipiac blocking more consistently to build a 17-14 lead, forcing the Bobcats to call a timeout. Quinnipiac, though, surged right back to tie it up 18-18 on a fake set turned kill from freshman setter Maria Pansari (Whitehouse Station, N.J.). After an exchange of points tied the score 22-22, freshman libero Alejandra Rodriguez (Toa Alta, Calif.) had an ace to give the Bobcats the lead and a service error from Bryant closed out the set 25-23.

The third set once again saw Bryant surge out to a narrow lead late in the set and seemingly earn the upper hand, taking a 19-15 advantage. Miller and Kloos helped turn the momentum with a block and a kill from sophomore outside hitter Jen Coffey (Merrimack, N.H.) knotted the score up at 20-20, capping a 3-0 run.

Miller then had one of the key plays of the match, when she came through with a tough dig in the corner, which turned into a kll when it carried over the net and found the floor between two Bryant players, tying the score 21-21. After Bryant went ahead 23-22, Miller had a solo block to knot the score up, and Alechko came through with a kill after the Bobcats kept the point alive with some solid defense, giving Quinnipiac a match point at 24-23. Bryant called a timeout, but their attack off the Quinnipiac serve sailed just wide, as the Bobcats earned the narrow 25-23 win in the set and the 3-0 win in the match.

Miller was the only player in double figures in kills for Quinnipiac with 10, while Alechko added nine. Pansari, the reigning MAAC Rookie of the Week, had 26 assists to lead the Bobcats offense, while Rodriguez, who was on the All-Tournament team last weekend at the La Salle Invitational, paced the defense with 15 digs. The big story statistically was the Quinnipiac blocking, though, as Miller had eight, and Leigh and Kloos each had seven, helping the Bobcats hold Bryant to just .068 hitting on the day, due to 31 errors. The first set was especially pronounced, as Bryant had 10 kills and 13 errors (nine due to Quinnipiac blocks) for a negative hitting percentage of -.088.

Quinnipiac will be back in action this weekend at the Terrier/Rose Hill Classic, co-hosted by Saint Francis Brooklyn and Fordham. The Bobcats open play at the tournament at Saint Francis on Friday at 6:30 against NJIT, which it defeated 3-1 last week at the La Salle Invitational, before playing road matches at both Saint Francis and Fordham on Saturday.