WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Barry University's volleyball team opened the season with a 25-12, 31-29, 25-18 win over Barton College (N.C.) at the Palm Beach Atlantic Hyatt Place Classic Friday.
Barry lost to Bridgeport, 26-24, 25-17, 20-25, 25-22, in Friday's second match of the tournament on opening day.
The Buccaneers won a wild second set against Barton, overcoming a 19-14 deficit by rallying in the late stages to go up 2-0 in the match. Despite facing set point, down 25-24, the Bucs climbed in front, 26-25, on Ivana Didanovic's kill on a setup from junior Jasmine Serna -- one of two Barry primary setters in a newly unveiled 6-2 offense coach Steve Hendricks is implementing this year.
Tashalyn Begon, who finished with 12 kills and 11 digs, pounded down a winner for a 27-26 lead. But the Bulldogs moved to within set point again on a kill by Brittany Edwards. Following a sideout and Bucs error, Barton led, 29-28. But a Bulldogs error and two kills by Eva Raat gave Barry a two-set lead in the match.
The second set featured 13 ties and five lead changes on a day where there were 22 total ties and 10 lead changes.
Barry won the first set after hitting .400 on 15 kills and three errors. The Bucs won 56 percent of their sideout opportunities in the first set and 18 of 30 in the middle set for 60 percent.
Laine Cielena's kill in the third set pushed the Buccaneers, who hit .231 in the match, ahead, 15-10. Begon's kill on one of Brittany Jaco's three assists lifted Barry to a six-point lead. Jayla Trombley, who had six kills and hit .294, pounded a winner for a 24-18 Bucs lead, and Serna's ace put the finishing touches on the season-opening victory.
Raat had seven kills and a .278 attack percentage. Fajardo had six kills, and hit .357. Jenny Trinidad, the other setter in the 6-2 offense, had 16 assists. Serna had 15 assists and 11 digs. Jaco had 16 of Barry's 63 digs.
The Bucs were outblocked, 6-4, three of which were credited to Cielena, who also had five kills, in an offense where six players had five or more putaways. Melissa Cochran had 13 of Barton's 30 kills. Barry held the Bulldogs to an .081 hitting percentage.
In the loss to Bridgeport, the Buccaneers hit .155 as a team, while the Purple Knights (2-0) had a .238 attack rate.
Trombley pounded 14 kills, had 10 digs and three blocks. Begon continued her strong start to the season with 13 kills, a .312 hitting percentage, nine digs and two block assists.
Barry opened up a 10-5 lead on Bridgeport in the third set on Katie Dooley's kill. Begon's putaway extended the lead to 20-15, but the Purple Knights inched to within, 20-18 on a kill by Ying Shen. But a kill by Dooley and Trombley in between a Bridgeport error, pulled the Bucs within, 2-1, in the match.
In the fourth set, however, Bridgeport overcame a 13-10 lead following a kill by Cielena when Frida Randen banged down a ball to square the score at 16-16. Fajardo's kill pushed the Buccaneers back in front, but the Purple Knights went on a 7-0 run en route to putting the match away.
Jaco had 22 of Barry's 60 digs. Didanovic had a career-high 10 block assists. Fajardo had eight kills and three blocks. Serna had 26 assists, and Trinidad 20. Cielena had six kills and six blocks.
The Bucs had 13.5 blocks. Bridgeport was credited with 7.5. Shen had 13 kills and Sarah Rosa 12.
Barry plays Kentucky State at 10:30 a.m. Saturday and Quincy at 5:15 p.m.