Rhode Island Starters
Wright, Blaney, Shilling, Hammond, Smith, Britton, Ratzloff (libero)
 
Rider Starters
Sher, Romano, Chan, Casper, Koch, Schrader, Loh (libero)
 
Set One – Rhode Island 25, Rider 15 
A 10-0 run for Rhode Island helped the Rams cruise in the opening set. Following a Rider service error, Grace Hammond served nine consecutive points, including four services aces during the run. Kills from Jamie Smith and Tori Britton capped the run as Rhody pulled ahead 16-6. The teams traded points the rest of the set until a block from Hammond and Gabrielle Shilling ended the set.

Set Two – Rider 25, Rhode Island 23
Rider bounced back in the second set. With the set tied 14-14, the Broncs ran off five straight points to take a commanding lead. Rider was on the verge of seling the set when an attack error for the Rams made the score 23-17. However, Rhode Island scored six of the next seven points to pull within 24-23, but a Tori Schrader kill finally finished the set for Rider.
 
Set Three –Rhode Island 28, Rider 26
The pivotal third set was a marathon that featured 18 ties throughout. Rider had the biggest lead of the set at 7-4, but the teams stayed tight. An ace from Jamie Smith put Rhody ahead 22-20, but a service error followed by an attack error by the Rams tied the score at 22-22. Following a URI timeout, kills from Brynne Wright and Brittany Myers gave the Rams set point at 24-22, but Rider came back with four of the next five points to get a set point of its own at 26-25. After a block error by the Broncs tied the score, Smith and Tori Britton combined for a block before a Myers kill gave Rhody the 2-1 lead.

Set Four –Rhode Island 25, Rider 13
Rhode Island left no doubt in the fourth set. Grace Hammond delivered back-to-back aces to put the Rams ahead 8-4, and the lead built from there. A Rider score got the Broncs within 16-11, but a 7-0 Rhody run that featured two Brittany Myers' kills and two blocks from the duo of Hammond and Tori Britton allowed Rhode Island to cruise to victory.

Inside the Box Score

• Rhode Island snapped a six-match losing streak with the victory, improving to 3-6 on the season. Rider fell to 0-7.
• Senior Gabrielle Shilling had her strongest match of the season, finishing with a team-high 12 kills, seven block assists and four digs.
• Senior Tori Britton had a robust .455 attack percentage, getting 10 kills with no errors in 22 attacks. She added six block assists.
• Freshman Grace Hammond continued her strong season, flirting with a triple-double. She had 31 assists, 11 digs, seven block assists and six service aces.
• Hammond's six aces tied for the third-highest in a single match in URI history. Only Sue Scott (11 vs. New Mexico in 1986) and Catie Steffan (7 vs. New Hampshire in 2014) have ever had more in one match for URI. Hammond already has 15 aces through her first nine career matches.
• Freshman Brittany Myers continues to shine, recording a career-high 10 kills, giving Rhody three players in double digits.
• Senior Ella Ratzloff had 19 digs and moved into sixth place in program history. Ratzloff now has 1,091, passing Amy Kauppila (1,087 from 2000-03) on Rhody's all-time list.
• Junior Adel Gage was solid in the passing game, providing 10 assists and six digs.

Up Next
Day Two of the URI Alumni Weekend Invitational will feature four matches on Saturday. Rhode Island and Hartford play at 10 a.m., followed by Rider-Merrimack at 1 p.m. Hartford and Rider battle at 4 p.m. before Rhody and Merrimack finish off the tournament with a match at 7 p.m.