SWEET SIXTEEN! Bridgeport Volleyball Advances To 2019 NCAA East Regional Final With Sweep Over Holy Family

Rockville Centre, N.Y.-For the seventh time in program history and the first time since 2015, the University of Bridgeport women's volleyball team has advanced to the NCAA Division II East Regional Final, as the Purple Knights defeated the Holy Family University Tigers in straight sets on Friday night, 25-11, 25-13, 25-21.  Bridgeport will now take on theMolloy, the top-seed and host of the regional, who defeated Saint Anselm in five sets in Friday's other semifinal at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday in the regional final.  Saturday's winner will advance to the NCAA Elite Eight which will be played in Denver, Colorado beginning on Thursday, December 12.  The NCAA Division II Regional Final will mark the fourth time the Purple Knights and fellow East Coast Conference member Molloy have met in 2019.

With Friday's win, the Purple Knights advance to the regional final with a 26-7 record.  Holy Family closes out its 2019 season at 25-10.

As they did in Thursday's quarterfinal win over Georgian Court, UB used an extremely balanced offensive attack to pick up the win.  Seniors Emily Burford (Albuquerque, N.M.) and Morgan Knight (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) led the Purple Knights in kills with nine apiece.

Bridgeport's middle hitter duo of sophomore Amanda Keller (Highlands Ranch, Colo.) and senior Makayla Maroney (Parker, Colo.) dominated play at the net, as Keller slammed eight kills and hit .462 on the night; plus Maroney had seven kills and recorded six blocks in the three sets.

Junior setter Klein Johnson (San Antonio, Texas) finished with a double-double, as she had 24 assists and 12 digs.  Sophomore Carly Killorin (Centennial, Colo.) also added 11 assists for the winners.

Sophomore Breanna Jones (Littleton, Colo.) led the Purple Knights' defense with a total of 17 digs.  Senior Amanda Hennemann (Nova Petropolis, Brazil) also reached double-digit digs with 10 on Friday evening.

Carly Covington and Allyssa Hartney led Holy Family, as they each had seven kills.

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