Rhode Island Starters (0-3)
Ma. Disu, Me. Disu, Owens, Shilling, Blahut, Butler, Blaney

Bryant Starters (1-2)
Hunt, Talmadge, Camacho, Abdat, Ugolini, DeLuga,
 
How It Happened
Rhode Island won its first set of the season, but it was not enough as the Rams dropped its third straight match to open the season. URI fell 3-1 (27-25, 17-25, 30-28, 25-) to Bryant in its final match of the Amy Svoboda Memorial, hosted by Air Force.

Set One - Bryant 27, Rhode Island 25
Rhode Island appeared to be in control late in the opening set when it took a five-point lead at 19-14 following a Bryant service error. However, the Bulldogs chipped away and tied the set 20-20 after three straight service aces by Carrina Barron. Rhody recovered enough to get set point after an Emma Vente kill put the Rams up 24-22. Bryant won four of the last five points to rally and take the set. The final point came on a Brooklyn Talmadge kill that was initially ruled an attack error before getting overturned in an official review.

Set Two - Rhode Island 25, Bryant 17
Rhode Island scored seven of the first eight points of the set, as two Katie Butler aces, three attack errors by Bryant and a kill from Megan Disu opened a 7-1 lead. This time, the Rams never relinquished their lead. Up 18-16, URI scored five in a row behind three blocks and one kill each from Madi Disu and Samantha Blahut to go up, 23-16. Kills from Karlee Pinell and Andrea Owens closed out Rhode Island's first set victory of the young season.

Set Three - Bryant 30, Rhode Island 28
A marathon third set went to the Bulldogs after a late Rhode Island rally came up short. Trailing 20-15, URI scored six of the next seven points to pull even. Samantha Blahut had two kills and a block assist to spark the comeback. A service ace by Catalina Hendricks gave the Rams set point at 26-25, but Bryant got two points in a row. A Karlee Pinell kill followed by a Madi Disu ace again gave Rhody set point, but Bryant won the final three points to take a 2-1 set lead.

Set Four - Bryant 25, Rhode Island 19
Rhode Island played its cleanest offensive set of the season, recording 12 kills with just three attack errors. Despite hitting .333 as a team, the Rams could not keep pace, A 6-1 run late in the set helped Bryant establish a 22-14 lead as the Bulldogs coasted to the victory down the stretch.

Inside the Box Score

• Junior libero Hannah Blaney was named to the Amy Svoboda Memorial Classic All-Tournament Team. In three matches, she had 21 digs and 13 assists.
• Freshman Madi Disu finished with 12 kills, becoming the first Ram to reach double digits this season.
• Freshman setter Catalina Hendricks just missed her first career double-double, getting 18 assists and nine digs.
• Junior setter Katie Butler had 18 assists and six digs.
• Junior libero Hannah Blaney had nine digs and seven assists.
• Junior hitter Andrea Owens had nine kills, eight digs and three block assists.
• The URI middle blockers combined for 12 blocks, as graduate student Gabrielle Shilling and redshirt junior Samantha Blahut each had six.

Up Next
Rhode Island plays at in-state rival Brown on Friday, Sept. 1. The match begins at 7 p.m. and will stream on ESPN+.