Press Release

Sept. 13, 2008

Ryan Leads Northwest Offense in Loss to Dowling

Box Score

OAKDALE, N.Y. - Amber Ryan paced the Bearcat attack for the second straight match to lead Northwest in a five-set loss to Dowling in the Hilton Garden Inn Invitational. It's the second match where the Bearcats rallied back from a 2-0 deficit to force a fifth set.

The Bearcats held off the Golden Lions for five set points in the first set, three coming off kills, before losing 25-19 in the opening frame. Ryan hit .429 in the first set with four kills.

Northwest tied Dowling six times in the second set before taking the lead at 21-20 off a kill from Ryan. The Bearcats fought back again from 24-22 to tie the set at 24-24 before the Golden Lions scored the final two points for a 26-24 victory.

After nine ties, the Bearcats put together a 9-1 run in the third set, aided by seven Dowling errors, to close out the set for a 25-20 victory. Northwest hit .500 as a team, committing only one attack error on 12 kills.

Rachel Nisi hit two kills during a 6-2 Bearcat run early in the fourth set to put Northwest ahead 11-7. The lead held until a five-point rally by Dowling put the Golden Lions up 25-24. But Dowling couldn't capitalize on match point, and two Golden Lion errors and a Sara Falcone kill provided a 27-25 Northwest victory to force set five.

Dowling opened up a 9-5 lead before a 4-1 Northwest rally, led by Alex Hanna's three kills, to pull the Bearcats to within one at 10-9. Northwest would pull within 12-11 before Dowling a three-point rally ended the set at 15-11.

Ryan hit 18 kills for the second straight match and hit .433 on 30 attempts. Paige Spangenberg led both teams with a season-best 23 digs.

The Bearcats close out their New York trip this afternoon against Adelphi at 1 p.m.