Sept. 9, 2010

ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The Navy volleyball team will take to the road for the third straight weekend when the Midshipmen travel to Smithfield, R.I., to take part in the Bryant Invitational. Navy will face the tournament-host Bulldogs Friday at 4 p.m. before taking on Manhattan (10 a.m.) and Boston College (3 p.m.) on Saturday.

Links to live statistics from each of Navy's matches can be found at www.NavySports.com(.) Additionally, Bryant's web site (www.BryantBulldogs.com) will be offering a video stream of the Navy-Bryant match for $5.95.

Navy has won three of its last four matches to raise its season record to 3-4 after two weekends of play. The Mids posted wins over Central Connecticut State and Delaware State and dropped a four-set match to Buffalo last weekend in Buffalo. Navy's offense produced 20 kills and 24 attack errors in the three sets the Mids lost to the Bulls, but had a 2-to-1 kills-to-errors ratio in the team's victories over the Blue Devils and Lady Hornets. The defense for the Mids also improved over the weekend. Buffalo totaled a .248 attack percentage in its win over Navy, but Central Connecticut State and Delaware State combined for a hitting percentage of .081.

Pacing the Mids on the weekend was Erin Fortner (Fr., Villa Hills, Ky.). The setter and right-side hitter led Navy in kills, attack percentage, assists, service aces and points at the tournament. She posted 17 kills, 21 assists, eight digs and a .452 attack percentage in Navy's tournament finale against Delaware State. Her kill tally in the match was the most by a Navy freshman in five seasons.

Fortner was not only named to the all-tournament team on the weekend for her efforts, she also was tabbed as this week's Patriot League Rookie (Freshman) of the Week.

Also having a good tournament in Buffalo were Lauren Carpenter (Jr., Murphy, Texas) and Maida Kalic' (Jr., Vernon, N.Y.) Carpenter tallied 20 kills and 28 digs in the three matches, while Kalic' notched 18 kills and 14 blocks. Kalic' joined Fortner on the all-tournament team.

"We are happy with the progress we have made since our first match of the season," said Navy head coach Mike Schwob. "Continuing that upward progression remains one of our main goals this weekend."

Bryant prepares to play host to this weekend's tournament with a 4-3 record on the season. The Bulldogs have posted wins over Hampton, Wofford, South Carolina State and New Hampshire and have suffered losses to Towson, Eastern Illinois and Harvard.

The Bulldogs posted an overall record of 11-23 and a Northeast Conference mark of 6-10 last season in just their second season of competing on the Division I level. Bryant was tabbed to place fifth in the NEC this season.

Navy and Bryant last met two years ago in Annapolis as part of the Trident Classic. It was not only Navy's opening weekend of play in the Wesley A. Brown Field House, but also the first matches in which Bryant competed as a Division I program. The Mids emerged from the two-hour match with a five-set victory.

Manhattan has compiled a misleading record of 1-4 on the year. It is misleading due to the fact that two of its losses came to the hands of UC Santa Barbara and California in matches that were played on the West Coast. The Jaspers returned to the Big Apple last week and recorded a win over St. Francis (N.Y.) and two losses to St. John's and Denver.

The Jaspers concluded the 2009 season with an overall record of 8-23 and a Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference record of 3-15. The preseason poll in the MAAC selected Manhattan to finish in ninth place this year.

The Mids and the Jaspers have not met since the 2002 season. Manhattan holds a 2-1 edge in the young series between the teams.

After opening its season with consecutive losses to Holy Cross, Fordham and Northeastern, Boston College has since tallied wins over Quinnipiac, New Hampshire, Eastern Illinois and Harvard to enter this weekend with a 4-3 record on the year.

Boston College posted a mark of 12-19 last season and concluded Atlantic Coast Conference play with a 2-18 record. The Eagles were picked to place 12th in this year's ACC preseason poll.

The lone previous meeting between the Mids and the Eagles took place in 1993 when Boston College topped Navy.