Volleyball Begins 2023 Season With A Pair Of Five-Set Victories At SCSU Tri-Match

New Haven, Conn.-It was a successful opening day to the 2023 season for the University of Bridgeport volleyball team on Saturday, as the Purple Knights swept a pair of five-set matches in a tri-match hosted by Southern Connecticut State University.  UB begin the day with a 25-22, 26-24, 19-25, 18-25, 15-11 victory over Kutztown University (1-2) and then wrapped up the day with a see-saw win over host SCSU (1-1), 25-18, 9-25, 25-18, 14-25, 15-8.

Versus the Bears of Kutztown, Bridgeport took the first two sets and led 16-11 in the third set only to see KU rally to tie the match at two sets apiece.  In the deciding fifth set, the Purple Knights trailed 10-11 but stormed back to win the final five points of the set to claim the win in their season opener.

Freshman Hailey Jessen (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) had nine kills and a team-best 13 digs versus Kutztown, and sophomore Lucia Tomiello (Caltrano, Italy) also notched a team-high nine kills.

Junior setter Jaden Drollinger (Queens Creek, Ariz.) directed the Bridgeport offense with 29 assists and added a pair of service aces, and Datari Mathis (Grad., Wethersfield, Conn.) added a pair of key blocks in the final set to help seal the UB win.

Sadie Doss of Kutztown led all players in the match with a total of 25 kills in a losing effort.

The win over the host Owls saw the two teams spilt the first four sets before the Purple Knights broke a 7-7 tie in the fifth set with an impressive 8-1 run to close the contest out with the 15-8 deciding set triumph.

Hailey Jessen again led the winners in kills with 15, and she was joined in double figures by Datari Mathis with 10.

Jaden Drollinger picked up a double-double in the win over Southern Connecticut with 32 assists and 11 digs.

Freshman Grace Presswood (S. Dennis, Mass.) had a solid all-around match in Friday's nightcap, as she led the Bridgeport defense with 12 digs and chipped in seven kills on offense.

Up next, the UB women's volleyball team will look to move to 3-0 on the young season, as the Purple Knights travel to Albany, New York on Tuesday night to face the College of St. Rose.  First serve is set for 7:00 p.m. in the capital city of the Empire State.