SMITHFIELD, R.I. (Sept. 11, 2002) - The Franklin Pierce University volleyball team fell to Bryant College, 3-0, in their first Northeast-10 Conference match of the season at Bryant Athletics & Recreation Center this evening.Senior Bunmi Akinnusotu led the Bulldogs with 16 kills and ten blocks, while junior Elisa Kim added 11 digs. The Bulldogs notched a 30-18 win in game one, but the Ravens put up a fierce fight in the final two games.

The Ravens came back from a three-point deficit in the third game to pull ahead 21-19, but the Bulldogs responded and knotted the game 28-28 before clinching the 30-28 win.

FPC's Catrina Cuevas (Aurora, Colo./J.I. O'Neill(N.Y.)) led the Ravens offense with 12 kills, seven assists and seven digs. Junior Bethany Findley (Clinton, Conn./Morgan School) dished a team-high 15 assists and recorded eight digs. Senior Mandy Johnson (Orange, Mass./Maher Regional) led the defense with 11 digs.

The Ravens (2-3, 0-1 NE-10) return to action on Friday, when they host the University of Bridgeport in a non-conference matchup at the FP Fieldhouse at 7 p.m. Bryant (4-5, 1-0 NE-10) next travels to Waltham, Mass. on Friday for a non-conference matchup with C.W. Post at 7:30 p.m.