The fight for second in the Northeast Conference took place at Bryant University on Saturday, which saw the Central Connecticut volleyball team fall to the Bulldogs for the second time this season. With the loss, Central drops to second in the standings, holding a 7-3 record.

In their previous matchup on Oct. 12, the Blue Devils were swept in straight sets by Bryant. With both teams at a stalemate for second place with 7-2 records, this second-chance game had major implications on the seeding for the NECs, with only four games remaining before the tournament starting Nov. 16. CCSU looked to stay hot heading into the final stretch of the season.

The Blue Devils brought the fight in the match’s first set. Tied early at 10, a block by Raquel Quirarte sparked a 7-1 run for the Blue Devils that set them up with a dominant 17-11 lead. Bryant would cut the lead to four, but a 4-0 run for CCSU would put them back in the driver’s seat and would win the first set after a service error from Bryant.

Bryant answered in the second set, scoring three kills and an ace to start. A back and forth between the teams ended in a kill from Morgan Woycik that gave the Blue Devils their first lead of the game at 12-11.

CCSU would not lead after this, allowing four straight Bryant points after their one-point lead. The Bulldogs would extend their lead to as much as seven, winning the second set 25-18.

Keeping the momentum from the second, Bryant did not trail for the entirety of the third set. Going back and forth for the first four points, the Bulldogs would bust open the game with a 4-0 run to put them up 8-4. Central was only able to double their score for the remainder of the set, dropping the third to Bryant with a 16-25 loss.

The fourth and final set proved difficult from the start for CCSU, who had three straight attack errors after the first Bryant point. The Blue Devils would rip off a 4-1 run with the help of kills from Quirarte and Madelyn Kaprelyan to bring them to within one.

Bryant would answer back with five-straight points.

Trailing by as much as six, CCSU would come back to within one again. Runs would continue to be exchanged by the teams, as Bryant would have match point set up at 24-22. The Blue Devils would fight back, pushing the set to extras by tying the game at 25. Two straight Bryant kills would seal the set and win Bryant the match, 3-1.

Kaprelyan notched a double-double in the loss, posting 12 kills and 13 assists. Erin McDermott led the Blue Devils with 21 assists, while Ashlyn Eisenga added on 15 digs.

The Blue Devils will be on the road next weekend to take on winless Fairleigh Dickinson on Friday, then visit 6-4 Sacred Heart on Saturday. The Pioneers trail Central by only a game, sitting at fourth in the NEC, paving the way for a pivotal match.