STORRS, CONN. – The Butler volleyball team swept UConn (26-24, 25-19, 25-19) Thursday afternoon at Gampel Pavilion in its final road match of the 2021 season. The Bulldogs (15-15, 9-8 BIG EAST) got payback on the Huskies (20-9, 12-5), who won in three sets at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Halloween.

Set 1: Butler 26-24
The Bulldogs started with a 5-3 lead following a kill by Mariah Grunze and two from Megan Sheridan. UConn rallied back to lead 10-8, but a 3-0 Butler run including an ace from Grunze put the Bulldogs back in front. The score was tight throughout the remainder of the set before Brittany Robinson fought off a set point for the Huskies with a kill to tie it at 24-24. Grunze and Amina Shackelford subsequently put down kills to clinch the set for Butler. Sheridan (four kills) and Jaymeson Kinley (six digs) led the Bulldog offense and defense, respectively, in the opening frame.

Set 2: Butler 25-19
A 6-0 run midway through the set consisting of kills by Melody Davidson and Sheridan and two aces from Marissa McKelvey put the Bulldogs ahead 14-7. The Huskies would get no closer than four the rest of the way, as Butler limited them to no more than three points in a row for the entire set. Davidson led the Bulldogs with five kills in the second period.

Set 3: Butler 25-19
Davidson and Grunze kills followed by an ace from Grunze helped Butler get out to an early 5-0 lead. The Huskies would steadily cut the deficit until they tied the score at 14, and after other ties 17-17 and 18-18, the Bulldogs used a 7-1 run to clinch the set and the match. Grunze and Sheridan had two kills each during the set-clinching stretch to put the match away. Grunze paced the Butler offense with four kills in the final frame.

Stat of the Match
Five Bulldogs had at least five digs each during the match: Kinley (19), Grunze (seven), McKelvey (seven), Madison Friebel (five) and Jillian Ziemba (five).

Inside the Box Score
- Davidson paced the Bulldogs with 13.5 points on nine kills, five block assists and two block solos.
- Sheridan tallied 11 kills, two digs and a block.
- Kinley contributed 19 digs, five assists and an ace, and is now two digs away from tying the single-season program record for digs (574).
- McKelvey stuffed the stat sheet with 18 assists, seven digs, three aces and two kills.
- Grunze totaled nine kills, seven digs, two aces, an assist and a block.

Up Next
The Bulldogs return home to Hinkle Fieldhouse Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m., hosting Xavier in the final match of the season.