FT. LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Head Coach Frederico Santos opened up his first stint in the collegiate ranks by leading the Barry University volleyball team to pair of wins over Puerto Rico-Rio Piedras (0-1) and Dowling (1-1) on Friday afternoon at the NSU Shark Classic in the University Center. The Bucs defeated Puerto Rico in the season-opener 18-25, 25-22, 26-28, 25-23, 15-13 and Dowling in the nightcap 25-19, 25-21, 26-28, 25-19.
Rio Piedras came out on fire in the first set and downed the Bucs by seven points. However, Barry managed to fight back and kept it close for the remainder of the marathon first match of the season. With the match tied at two sets apiece, the Buccaneers jumped out to a 6-2 lead in the decisive fifth set. Rio Piedras came back and tied the set 6-6, but Puerto Rico service error gave the Bucs a 7-6 lead and they never looked back for the win.
In addition to the Bucs win, senior Lauren Evans reached a career milestone. Heading into Friday’s early match, she needed just 18 digs to become Barry’s all-time career dig leader. She finished the five set match with 25 giving her 1,211 career digs surpassing three-time Sunshine State Conference Player of the Year Cindy Yuan.
Camilla Pagana continued at her All-American paced opening the season with a double-double. She led all attackers with 27 kills and added 14 digs while hitting .264. Transfer Julia Ridley added a double-double performance with 11 kills and 11 digs, while Libby Walter made her collegiate debut with 53 assists and 11 digs.
Valeria Rosa led Rio Piedras with 18 kills, while Jean Marie Rivera and Neisa Figueroa added 16 and 12 kills respectively.
In the nightcap, a different Barry team showed up on the court. The Buccaneers dominated the first two sets, but dropped the third 28-26. After recouping between sets three and four, the Bucs came out and repeated their first set performance for a 25-19 win to start the season 2-0.
Four Buccaneers reached double-digit kills led by Pagnan’s 20. Samara Ferreira followed with 13, while Ridley and Meisje-Sable Burton added 12 and 11 kills respectively. The Ridley/Burton duo matched each other’s hitting efficiency by blasting a .364 attack percentage. Evans followed her earlier 25-dig performance with another 24 to close out opening day.
The Buccaneers will return to action on Saturday taking on Alderson Broaddus at 12 pm followed by California (Pa.) at 3 pm.
The Buccaneers will finish the first day of the NSU Shark Classic with a 7 pm match-up with Dowling, who received votes in the preseason AVCA Top-25 poll.
Newspaper Box
Barry def. UPR-Rio Piedras 18-25,25-22,26-28,25-23,15-13
UPR-Rio Piedras (0-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - V. Gonzalez Rosa 18-0-0; J.M. Navarro Rivera 16-0-1; N. Marrero Figueroa 12-3-5; F. Bauldrick Hernand 6-2-2; M. Fuentes Rivera 3-2-2; V. Lopez Gandara 3-0-0; C.M. Ubinas Aparicio 2-1-0; G. Rodriguez Hernand 1-0-1; N. Esclusa Zayas 0-1-0; Totals 61-9-7.0. (Assists) - N. Esclusa Zayas 44. (Dig leaders) - N. Esclusa Zayas 23; C. Ramirez Serrano 16; V. Gonzalez Rosa 15; J.M. Navarro Rivera 10; V. Lopez Gandara 9
Barry (1-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Camilla Pagnan 27-3-3; Julia Ridley 11-0-1; Samara Ferreira 9-1-6; Stefanie Sveiven 6-0-3; Meisje-Sable Burton 3-0-6; Danielle Bishop 2-0-0; Spenser Rigg 1-0-0; Libby Walter 1-1-3; Julie Priester 0-1-0; Totals 60-6-12.5. (Assists) - Libby Walter 53. (Dig leaders) - Lauren Evans 25; Camilla Pagnan 14; Julia Ridley 11; Libby Walter 11
Site: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (University Center)
Date: 08/29/2008 Attend: 63 Time: 2:22
Referees: Steven Dalton, Moises Santiago
Newspaper Box (Match 2)
Barry def. Dowling 25-19,25-21,26-28,25-19
Dowling (1-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Potpara, Maja 11-2-2; Kasperek, Monika 9-0-3; Klekotka, Patricja 7-0-0; Markovic, Marina 7-0-1; Kuhl, Kali 5-0-0; Van Wieren, Jessica 5-0-1; Scott, Kelly 4-1-3; Przybylowicz, Erin 0-1-0; Totals 48-4-6.0. (Assists) - Przybylowicz, Erin 27; Potpara, Maja 18. (Dig leaders) - Rodriguez, Jovanna 17; Potpara, Maja 12
Barry (2-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Camilla Pagnan 20-0-1; Samara Ferreira 13-0-3; Julia Ridley 12-1-1; Meisje-Sable Burton 11-0-4; Danielle Bishop 5-0-2; Libby Walter 2-1-1; Lauren Evans 0-1-0; Totals 63-3-7.0. (Assists) - Libby Walter 48. (Dig leaders) - Lauren Evans 24; Julia Ridley 9
Site: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (University Center)
Date: 08/29/2008 Attend: 42 Time: 1:44
Referees: Moises Santiago, John Dalton