How It Happened
After opening the first set on a 7-1 run, URI remained on top and did not allow Hartford to get any closer than four (14-10), en route to a 25-17 victory.

Hartford rebounded in the second set, taking the first points and remaining in control throughout. Rhody trailed by eight at at 20-12 but clawed its way back to get within three at 24-21. However, a service error ended the set in favor of the Hawks.

Hartford carried the momentum into the third set, where it took over the lead at 10-9 and held on the rest of the way for a 25-21 win as well as a 2-1 lead in the match.

However Rhody stormed back in the fourth set, posting another 25-17 win to force a decisive fifth set. There, the Rams locked up the win with a 15-11 victory over the Hawks.

Inside the Box Score

• Franki Darnold led all players with career-high 21 kills. Over URI's three matches in the Art Carmichael Invitational, Darnold totaled a team-best 41 kills while also adding 27 digs, three blocks and a pair of aces to earn the tournament's Wendy Miranda MVP Award.
• Callan Kinnan turned in a team-high 26 assists and had four kills with zero attack errors. She earned her second consecutive All-Tournament award after combining for 76 assists, 17 digs, eight kills and five blocks over the course of the Invitational.
• Kalyn Schieffer (21), Cate Seman (12) and Britta Baarstad (11) all registered double-digit digs for the Rams. 
• Schieffer also finished with a match-high five aces in the win over Hartford.
• Baarstad registered her 900th career kill against the Hawks, becoming just the 15th player in school history to achieve the feat. She now has 904 for her career.
• Seman - who collected 28 digs and 12 kills over the weekend - was joined Darnold and Kinnan All-Tournament team.

Stat of the Day
The 3-2 win over Hartford ended Rhody's six-match string of 3-0 decisions. Overall, seven of the Rams' nine matches so far this season have been decided in just three sets.

Art Carmichael Invitational Final Standings

• Rhode Island: 3-0 
• UTEP: 2-1
• Hartford: 0-2
• UMass Lowell: 0-2

Art Carmichael Invitational All-Tournament Team

• Carolyn Eddy (UMass Lowell)
• Jackie Tamburri (Hartford)
• Xitlali Herrera (UTEP)
• Malia Patterson (UTEP)
• Cate Seman (Rhode Island)
• Callan Kinnan (Rhode Island)
• Wendy Miranda MVP Award winner: Franki Darnold (Rhode Island)

What's Next
Rhode Island heads to Hanover, N.H. for the Dartmouth Duel, next weekend. There, the Rams will face Minnesota and Dartmouth on Friday before taking on regional rivals New Hampshire and Connecticut on Saturday.