Purple Knights Comeback Falls Just Short In Five-Set Thriller Versus Adelphi

Bridgeport, Conn.-The University of Bridgeport volleyball team staged a furious comeback on Monday night that fell just short in a five-set, home non-conference loss to the Adelphi University Panthers.  After falling in the first two sets, 22-25 and 19-25, UB bounced back to take the third and fourth sets, 25-18 and 25-17, to force the fifth and deciding set in which the visitors prevailed, 15-10, to win the match.  Monday's defeat snaps a six-match winning streak for the Purple Knights who are now 10-3 overall.  Adelphi moves 9-4 overall.

UB freshman Hailey Jessen (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) led all players on the night with 23 kills, and she added six digs and two blocks.

Graduate student Datari Mathis (Wethersfield, Conn.) finished with 12 kills and hit .400 in the match.

Grace Presswood (Fr., S. Dennis, Mass.) finished with a double-double for UB, as she led the team with 20 digs and slammed 10 kills.

Sophomore Lucia Tomiello (Caltrano, Italy) had nine kills and 10 digs plus a match-best six blocks for the Purple Knights in the five sets.

Setter Jaden Drollinger (Jr., Queens Creek, Ariz.) dished off a season-high 53 assists and seven digs on Monday night.

Two more UB players also reached double-digit digs on the Purple Knights' backline against the Panthers, as sophomore Isabella Carmona-Bailey (McKinney, Tex.) had 12 and senior Haley Andrews (Southington, Conn.) chipped in 11.

Up next, the UB women's volleyball team closes out a quick, two-match homestand on Wednesday evening when the Purple Knights return to conference play when they host the Post University Eagles at 7:00 p.m.

PHOTO BY CLARUS MULTIMEDIA