Rhode Island Starters
Wagner, Wright, Blaney, Paulette, Gage, Shilling, Butler

VCU Starters
Brangioni, Hoffmeier, Jones, Knight, Stratton, Vukcevic, Bentley
 
Set One – Rhode Island 25, VCU 21
A massive surge midway through the set allowed Rhode Island to take the opener from VCU. With the home Rams leading 11-8, Rhody put together a 12-2 run that gave URI the lead for good. VCU fought its way back and closed the gap to one (21-20) but Claire Wagner and Brynne Wright combined for two kills and an ace to finish things off for URI at 25-21.

Set Two – VCU 25, Rhode Island 11
Rhode Island could not get anything going in the second set as VCU converted each of its first five sideout opportunities. Rhody scored three straight points at 15-6, 15-7 and 15-8 but that was the only time in the set the Rams kept the serve. VCU limited URI to just nine kills for the set, and closed things out on a 10-3 run.
 
Set Three – VCU 25, Rhode Island 17
VCU's defense held strong in the third set, combining for five total blocks and allowing Rhode Island only seven kills on 42 attacks (-.048 hitting percentage). URI had controlled play early on with a 9-3 lead, but VCU eventually tied the score at 12-12 and never trailed again.
 
Set Four – VCU 25, Rhode Island 16
Rhody and VCU traded points back and forth in the fourth set, but a key 5-0 run gave VCU the lead for good at 8-4. The Rams of Richmond stretched the advantage to 14-7 and the teams traded the next 12 points as VCU maintained the seven-point edge at 20-13. Rhody trimmed it to six (22-16) but a service error, an attack error and a bad set gave VCU the three points it needed to claim the set and win the match.

Inside the Box Score

• Senior Claire Wagner and junior Brynne Wright each had 10 kills for the Rams. Wright added 14 digs while Wagner had six.
• Grad student Gabrielle Shilling (7) and freshman Karlee Pinell (6) combined for 13 kills.
• Sophomore Hannah Blaney recorded 17 digs, three assists and two aces.
• Sophomore Katie Butler finished the night with 29 assists, 14 digs, two kills and one block.
• Grad student Mariah Paulette recorded four kills, three digs and two blocks.
• Senior Adel Gage added six digs and two assists.

Up Next
Rhode Island is back in action on Wednesday night, when it hosts Fordham at 5 p.m.