Rhode Island Starters
Wright, Blaney, Klise, Paulette, Hammond, Smith, Ratzloff (libero)

Davidson Starters
Doyal, Hritz, Decker, Davis, Omonije, Wynn, Brady (libero)
 
Set One – Davidson 25, Rhode Island 23
A fast start out of the gates was not enough for the Rams. Spurred by four early kills from Gillian Klise, Rhode Island opened with a 7-1 lead. Davidson roared back, taking 10 of the next 13 points to pull in front, 11-10. From there, the set was tightly contested, featuring eight ties and five lead changes. With the score tied 20-20, Davidson scored four of the next five points, forced three URI attack errors and getting a kill from Sola Omonije to create set point. URI closed within 24-23, but an Anela Davis kill ended the opening set in favor of the Wildcats.
 
Set Two – Rhode Island 25, Davidson 10
The second set was all Rhody. Davidson scored three of the first points, but seven straight points by the Rams put URI up, 8-3. Mariah Paulette keyed the run with two blocks and a kill. Rhode Island never relinquished the lead. Ahead 17-10, the Rams scored the final eight points to emphatically knot the overall score, 1-1.
 
Set Three – Davidson 25, Rhode Island 22
The third set saw a return to even play, with the teams trading points and mini runs. Davidson took three of the first four points, but Rhody responded with six of the next seven to take a 7-5 advantage following a Brittany Myers kill and a Davidson attack error. Eventually Davidson ran off six straight points to take a 15-12 lead, but the momentum was short lived. Rhode Island used a 5-2 spurt to tie the set at 18-18 after Jamie Smith sandwiched two kills around a Davidson error. The teams traded several points before kills from Madeline Wynne and Hattie Rodriguez gave Davidson a 22-20 lead and forced a URI timeout. The Wildcats scored two of the next three out of the timeout, and after Rhody fought off one set point, Lauren Albold's kill closed it out and made the overall score 2-1 in favor of the visitors.
 
Set Four – Rhode Island 25, Davidson 17
Rhode Island opened the fourth set on a 9-3 run and pushed it to 15-7 after a kill from Jamie Smith. Rhody and Davidson traded points throughout the rest of the set with neither team scoring more than two in a row. Leading 22-16, the Rams claimed three of the final four points to win the set and even the match at 2-2.
 
Set Five – Davidson 15, Rhode Island 6
Rhode Island ran out of gas in the decisive fifth set, falling behind 8-3 early on. Consecutive errors by the Wildcats then allowed Rhody to close the gap to three (8-5). Davidson closed it out from there though, responding with a 5-0 push and allowing URI just one more point – a kill by Brittany Myers – the rest of the way.

Inside the Box Score

• Grad student Jamie Smith led Rhode Island with 16 kills. She also added 12 digs for her fourth consecutive double-double.
• Freshman Brittany Myers had 14 kills on the afternoon, followed by sophomore Brynne Wright's 12.
• Myers also recorded four digs and a pair of blocks.
• Junior Gillian Klise finished with nine kills and five blocks. Five of her nine kills came in the first set.
• Junior Mariah Paulette also had five digs – including one solo – to go along with four kills.
• Freshman Grace Hammond had URI's second double-double of the day, finishing with 44 assists and 16 digs. She also had three service aces, three kills and a pair of blocks.
• Senior Ella Ratzloff (24), freshman Hannah Blaney (13) and junior Abby Fillion (11) combined for 48 of Rhode Island's 84 digs. Ratzloff also added four assists and two service aces.

Up Next
Rhode Island is back in action tomorrow afternoon, when it closes out the weekend with a noontime match against Saint Louis.