Indianapolis – The Butler volleyball team swept Providence (25-23, 25-23, 25-22) Saturday afternoon at Hinkle Fieldhouse for its first BIG EAST Conference win of the season. The Bulldogs (7-8, 1-1 BIG EAST) knocked off a Providence team (12-3, 0-2 BIG EAST) that came into the weekend with only one loss. Butler used a balance offensive attack led by setter Marissa McKelvey (45 assists), Mariah Grunze (15 kills), Melody Davidson (11 kills) and Brittany Robinson (11 kills) plus outstanding defensive play from Jaymeson Kinley (22 digs) and Caroline Cleveland (11 digs) to secure the victory.

Set 1: Butler 25-23
Butler got its first three points on Davidson kills to lead 3-1 early. The two teams would trade points for the most part until a 3-0 Bulldogs run punctuated by a Robinson ace put them up 16-13. A later 4-0 run including kills by Davidson and Grunze gave Butler a comfortable 21-15 lead, and the Bulldogs would clinch the set on a kill from Robinson. Davidson (six kills), Grunze (four) and Robinson (three) led the Butler offense, while Jaymeson Kinley contributed seven digs in the opening frame.

Set 2: Butler 25-23
The Bulldogs started with an early 3-0 lead on Kinley's serve, including an ace from her. A later 3-0 run on kills from Kinley, Robinson and Amina Shackelford put Butler up 8-2. Providence responded by taking 6 of 7 points to get to within one, but two Robinson kills and one from Davidson sparked a 4-0 Bulldogs run to give them a 15-10 lead. The Friars would get to within one later in the set, but Davidson scored three consecutive Butler points for a 23-20 advantage. Grunze clinched the set with her fifth kill of the second frame. Davidson and Robinson added four kills each for the Bulldogs in the set.

Set 3: Butler 25-22
Four early kills from Grunze got Butler out to an early 7-4 lead. The teams traded points until Providence went on a 4-0 run to put the Friars ahead 12-11. Butler would trail by as many as three at 17-14 and 22-19 before the Bulldogs finished the set with a 6-0 run, including kills from McKelvey, Shackelford and Robinson to clinch the match. Grunze led Butler with six kills in the final frame, plus Robinson contributed four kills and Kinley 10 digs for the Bulldogs in the set.

Stat of the Match
Butler hit a cool .295 for its second-best hitting percentage of the season (.298 vs. Eastern Kentucky).

Inside the Box Score
- Grunze tallied 15 kills, 11 digs and two block assists.
- Kinley recorded 22 digs, a kill and an ace.
- Davidson put down 11 kills and had four block assists.
- Robinson contributed 11 kills, one solo block, three block assists, two digs and an ace.
- McKelvey stuffed the stat sheet with 45 assists, nine digs, two block assists and a kill.
 
Up Next
The Bulldogs will travel east next week for their first roadtrip of the conference season. Butler faces Georgetown Friday at 5 p.m. before taking on Villanova Saturday at 7 p.m.