How It Happened
Franki Darnold, Layne Self and Audrey Castro combined for 53 kills as Rhode Island (3-3) twice rallied from a set down to beat UC Santa Barbara (4-2) in five sets in the final match of the Yale Invitational Saturday. The Rams fell to Rice, 3-1, earlier on Saturday.

After dropping the first set 25-20 to UC Santa Barbara, Rhody got its offense clicking in the second set, hitting .433 as a team while taking the set, 25-22. UCSB took the third set, 25-21, as both teams struggled from the floor, with each side committing seven attack errors. Facing the prospect of losing three straight matches on the weekend, the Rams took the fourth set in decisive fashion, 25-15. With the score tied 9-9 in the final set, Darnold provided three kills to spark a 6-3 run that clinched the match for the Rams.

Darnold finished with 21 kills against UC Santa Barbara, including the 1,000th kill of her career. She became the 10th player in program history to reach 1,000. Self, who had 18 kills in the match, and Castro, who added 14, both had career-high kill totals in the victory.

Inside the Box Scores

• Junior Audrey Castro recorded the first double-double of her career in the win over UC Santa Barbara. In addition to her career-high 14 kills, she also had 17 digs. She is averaging more than 4.0 digs per set on the season.
• Junior setter Callan Kinnan had 52 assists in the win over UC Santa Barbara, marking the 10th time in her career that she has had 50 or more in one match.
• In the two matches Saturday, Kinnan had 89 assists and moved past Annie Nelson (2009-12) for third in Rhode Island history with 2,396 for her career. Only Jessica Salmans (5,897 from 1994-97) and Christy Sandefur (3,515 from 1987-90) are ahead of her on Rhode Island's all-time list.
• Junior Layne Self had a strong offensive day, finishing the two matches with 31 kills. Against UCSB, Self had 18 kills with just two attack errors. 
• Self was named to the Yale Invitational All-Tournament Team. Ali Barbeau from UCSB and Chelsea Harris from Rice were the Co-MVPs of the tournament. Also named to the all-tournament team were Kelly Johnson (Yale), Noelle Whitlock (Rice), Madison McDaniel (Rice), Chanel Hoffman (UCSB) and Elizabeth Sheffield (UCSB). 
• Senior Franki Darnold had 21 kills against UCSB and 16 more against Rice. 

Stat of the Day
1,011 – Following Saturday's action, senior Franki Darnold has 1,011 career kills, placing her 10th all time in program history.

What's Next
Rhode Island hosts the Art Carmichael Invitational Friday and Saturday. The Rams will welcome Canisius, Lehigh and Sacred Heart to Kingston for the two-day event. Rhody plays Canisius and Lehigh Friday before closing out the tournament against Sacred Heart next Saturday.