After the Queens College volleyball team picked up its first conference win of the season at the University of DC on Tuesday, the team returned to action on Thursday and fell to Bridgeport in three sets in a match played at Fitzgerald Gymnasium.  The scores of the sets were 25-16, 25-19 and 25-17.

The first set opened with the two sides exchanging the first ten points of action, bringing the score even at 5-5.  From there, Bridgeport took a 9-5 lead by scoring the next four points.    From there, the Purple Knights would pull away and capture the first set, 25-16.  Debbie Okeke (Smyrna, Ga./Campbell) led the Knights with three kills in the set while Ceren Kilic (Istanbul, Turkey/Yuzyil Isil) had a set-best eight assists and Arielle DiCoco (Bluepoint, N.Y./Bayport-Blueport) had four digs.

The second frame began more auspiciously for Queens as they jumped out to a 3-1 lead on the strong serving of DiCoco.  Bridgeport came back to even the set at 5-5, but then a Queens kill gave the Knights a 6-5 advantage.  The Purple Knights pushed the lead to 14-8, but then Bianca Steele (Massapequa, N.Y./Holy Trinity) rattled off three straight points while serving, and the Knights got within 14-11.  Eventually, Bridgeport took the second set, 25-19.  The Purple Knights closed out the match with a 25-17 win in the third set.

Kilic recorded a team-high 15 assists while DiCoco had six kills and four aces.  Suzanne Byrne (Richmond, B.C./St. Patrick's) had a game-high eight digs.

The Knights return to action on Saturday, September 29, when they host the Mercy Mavericks at 1:00 PM in Fitzgerald Gymnasium.  There will be an Alumni Reunion that day.