Arlington, Va.; - (10/1/2022) - Gwynedd Mercy University (5-11, 1-1) split today's Atlantic East Conference (AEC) matches at Marymount University as they rebounded from a 3-0 (25-20, 25-14, 25-15) loss to the hosting Saints before punishing Centenary University (NJ) in a 3-1 (23-25, 25-16, 25-12, 25-22) league triumph. Junior outside hitter Bria Purnell (Reading, Pa.) was the star of the tri-match, tying junior outside hitter Julia Rabe (Virginia Beach, Va.) (6 kills, 1 ace) for a team-high seven points (7 kills) versus Marymount University and scoring a career-high 29 kills in a 31.5-point match (29 kills, 2 aces, 1 block assist) that came with two assists and nine digs.

Griffin Highlights

vs. Marymount University (8-7, 1-0)

• The Griffins hit .222 in both the first (9K-3E-27TA) and third (8K-2E-27TA) sets and held the Saints to their match-low hitting percentage (.276: 14K-6E-29TA) in the opening frame.
• Purnell led in kills (7) and junior outside hitter Julianne Dove (Pottstown, Pa.) in aces (4). Freshman setter Ayanna Gaston (Middletown, Del.) led in assists (14) and shared the team lead in block assists (1) with Junior middle hitter Ashley Brown (Lansdale, Pa.) and digs (6) with senior libero Ashley Morris (Quakertown, Pa.).

vs. Centenary University (4-8,0-1)

• The Griffins hit a season-best .299 (64K-18E-154TA) versus the Cyclones; the effort included .300-plus performances in the second (.333; 16K-3E-39TA), third (.389; 17K-3E-36TA), and fourth (324; 16K-5E-34TA) sets.
• Purnell's 29-kill match is the second most finishes in Gwynedd Mercy University women's volleyball history (1. 33, Griffith, Casey; Bryn Mawr; Oct 13, 2016).
• Brown (15 kills) and Rabe (12) also recorded double-digit kills; the former also provided a a pair of assists, an ace, a block assist, and seven digs.
• Freshmen setter Amanda Lopez (Houston, Texas) totaled a team-high and personal season-high 36 assists, while Morris hustled to a season-high 33 digs.

Gwynedd Mercy University breaks from their AEC schedule for a 7:00 p.m. match at Rutgers - Newark on Thursday, October 6.