THE BASICS:

MATCH 1 RESULT: Rider 3, Hartford 2
GAME 2 RESULT: Bryant 3, Hartford 0
LOCATION: Chace Center (Smithfield, R.I.)
RECORDS: Hartford (0-2), Rider (1-1), Bryant (1-1)

THE LEAD:
The Hartford volleyball team opened its 2016 season with a pair of defeats on Friday at the Hampton Inn-Vitational. The Hawks lost a heartbreaker in their first match of the season, being edged from behind by Rider, while host Bryant topped Hartford in the nightcap.
 
MATCH 1: RIDER 3, HARTFORD 2
Jenna Bridges delivered a sterling debut in her home state, exploding for 15 kills with just three errors to lead the Hawks offense. Paulina Modestow added 12 kills and 10 digs for Hartford, while Rachel Moll added nine kills and Katy Henchy posted eight kills and four blocks.
 
Astrid Mangual dished out 39 assists, while Shay Worley (12), Paola Llerandi (11), Megan Scherer (11) and Mangual (11) all posted double-digit digs as well.
 
Rider was led by Savannah Logan's 13 kills, while Kaitlyn Griffin and Ryan Ackermann each delivered 11.
 
MATCH 1: SET-BY-SET
• Hartford came out blazing in the opening set, delivering 17 kills and a .306 attack percentage to take a 25-22 win in the first. After trailing 13-9, the Hawks rolled off seven straight points for a 16-13 lead and held on the rest of the way, finishing it off with a Henchy kill.
• In a tightly-fought second set, Rider delivered a strong close to overcome a late deficit and take a 26-24 win.
• Hartford bounced back in the third, jumping out to a 5-1 lead and holding on to a 21-17 advantage late. After the Broncs went on a run of five straight points to garner a 22-21 lead, the Hawks tallied four of the last five points, the final one on a block by Modestow and Bridges, to take a 25-23 victory.
• Rider came roaring back in the fourth, scoring the first six points and eventually building a 10-2 lead. The Hawks rallied to tie the score at 17 and 19, but Rider finished off the set with a 25-21 victory.
• In the fifth, Hartford earned an early 3-2 lead on a pair of Bridges kills, but the Broncs rallied to score 10 of the next 11 points en route to a 15-8 win to take the match.

GAME 2: BRYANT 3, HARTFORD 0
Modestow led the way with 10 kills and seven digs, but Bryant got double-digit kills from Kirstyn Sperry and Julia Flynn to take a 3-0 victory in the nightcap.
 
Llerandi delivered 15 digs, while Bridges posted a career-best six blocks in a losing effort. Mangual tallied 31 assists as well in the loss.
 
MATCH 2, SET BY SET:
• The two teams started even, but a seven-point run turned a 9-8 Hawks lead into a 15-9 Bryant advantage. Hartford came right back with Mangual at the serve to regain a 19-17 lead. The two squads battled to a 22-22 deadlock before the Bulldogs tallied the last three points for a 25-22 win.
• The second set was a tremendous battle that ended with the Bulldogs taking the frame 29-27. Bryant led 20-14 late in the set, but the Hawks rallied to knot the score at 21 on a Megan Scherer ace and advanced to set point at 24-22 on a Bryant attack error. But the Bulldogs were able to hold off the rally and take the set for a 2-0 lead.
• Bryant carried over the momentum into the third, slowly building a 12-6 lead and holding on the rest of the way for a 25-20 victory and a 3-0 win in the match.
 
UP NEXT:
Hartford concludes the Hampton Inn-Vitational by taking on Rutgers on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. The Hawks then return home on Sunday to take on Fresno State in a 4 p.m. match at the Hartford Volleyball Gym.