Siena Volleyball saw another tough day at the Bryant Invitational, dropping both matches on the second and final day of action in Smithfield, RI at the Chace Athletic Center.
The Saints (0-6) showed resolve by bouncing back after a sound defeat in the first set against Lafayette to earn a convincing second set victory before ultimately losing a 3-1 contest (9-25, 25-12, 10-25, 23-25) in the morning match.
In the late afternoon match, it was a similar script as Siena came close to pushing the match to the distance, but fell 3-1 to Northeastern (7-25, 25-23, 25-27, 13-25).
Against Lafayette, junior outside hitter
Sara Wagner led the Saints with 11 kills while junior right side Olga Sawinski and redshirt junior outside hitter
Anny Montano produced six kills apiece.
Trailing 17-12 in the fourth set, the Saints gave themselves a chance by winning five of the next six points to cut the lead to one.
Sina Toroslu put down a kill off an assist from
Meghan Johnsson. With
Payton Hinkle serving for the Saints, the Leopards committed an attack error. After a kill from Lafayette's Emma Patmon, Siena reeled off three consecutive points highlighted by a Montano kill and two Lafayette attack errors.
But the Saints could get no closer than within two points of the lead for the remainder and dropped a hard-luck set 23-25.
Johnsson had a team-high 13 assists with eight digs,
Monet Latunde notched a season-best five blocks and
Emily Wood contributed with nine digs.
In the second match of the day, Siena started slowly once again by totaling more errors (seven) than kills (two) in the opening set.
The Saints picked it up offensively in sets two and three, hitting far more respectable .290 and .256 in the middle sets of play.
Montano put it away to wrap up the second set 25-23.
Freshman
Ella Treasure racked up a kill and then reeled off four consecutive service points to help the Saints grab a 16-13 lead.
The teams exchanged leads until the end with Northeastern recapturing the lead at 17-16 off a kill from Abby Reck.
Wagner's kill from Isaksen gave an 18-17 advantage back to Siena. The Huskies took it back with a 19-18 edge before Siena rallied for a 24-22 lead behind a kill from Treasure and a Northeastern miscue. But three kills from the Huskies and a pair of errors from the Saints sealed it.
Wagner had 13 kills, six digs and two aces.
For her efforts this weekend, Wagner was one of seven players named to the Bryant Invitational All-Tournament Team.
Sawinska tallied seven kills and three blocks while Johnsson led with a season-high 20 assists and eight digs.
Treasure converted seven attacks into five kills.
Siena will next travel to take part in the Jack Kaiser Volleyball Classic at St. John's Carnesecca Arena on Friday, Sept 8 and Saturday, Sept. 9 and will play against the hosts as well as Loyola (Md) and Stony Brook in the four-team gathering.
