UB Women's Volleyball Opens 2016 Season With Two Losses In Florida

West Palm Beach, Fla.-The University of Bridgeport women's volleyball team opened its 2016 season with a pair of matches at the Hyatt Place Bash at the Beach hosted by Palm Beach Atlantic University on Friday afternoon.  The Purple Knights opened the 2016 campaign with a straight sets (22-25, 17-25, 20-25) loss against the Eagles of Embry-Riddle University (3-1 overall record) and wrapped up the day with a 3-0 defeat versus the McKendree University Bearcats, who are 3-3 on the young year, (14=25, 24-26, 19-25).

In the season opener, senior Sara Cruz (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) led the Purple Knights with 11 kills and finished with a double-double adding 12 digs.  Newcomer Bruna Santos (Jr., Curitiba, Brazil) added eight kills and chipped in two service aces. Sophomore setter Ellie Rich (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) led all players in the match with 32 assists.

On defense versus the Eagles, senior, libero Amelie Guinci (Cannes, France) led UB with 15 digs.

Against McKendree, Cruz again led Bridgeport in kills with seven, and Bruna Santos and freshman Claire Anderson (Oak Harbor, Washington), each had six kills.

UB setter Ellie Rich finished with a double-double in match two of 2016 with 26 assists and 11 digs.

Amelie Guinci again led the Bridgeport defense with 13 digs to tie for the match-high in that category.

The UB women's volleyball team will close out play at the Hyatt Place Bash at the Beach hosted by Palm Beach Atlantic University of Saturday with two more matches, as the Purple Knights face Lee (Tenn.) University at 3:00 p.m. followed by the host Sailfish at 7:30 p.m.