Rhode Island Starters
Powers, Wagner, Wright, Fillion, Klise, Blahut, Butler
 
Florida Gulf Coast Starters
Clark, Felts, Evivie, Shomaker, Axner, Lockey, English
 
Set One – Florida Gulf Coast 25, Rhode Island 19
Rhode Island registered 11 kills on 24 attacks – with just four errors – but came up short in the opening-set loss to FGCU. The Eagles scored their points in batches, and never really allowed Rhody to get in a groove. Trailing 20-11, a late 8-4 push – that featured kills by five different Rams – got URI back within five at 24-19, but FGCU claimed the next point to finish things off.

Set Two – Rhode Island 26, Florida Gulf Coast 24
Rhode Island opened the second set on a tear and built up a 9-4 lead. The Eagles stormed back however, and leveled things out at 10-10 before pulling ahead 13-12. Three blocks and a kill put the Rams back on top 16-14. The teams continued to battle, tying the score at 16-16, 17-17 and 18-18. FGCU began to distance itself and was serving for set point at 24-20, but the Rams were relentless and scored the next six points to avoid defeat. A Karlee Pinell kill first kept Rhody alive, followed by a Hannah Blaney ace and a kill by Claire Wagner. An attack error by the Eagles then evened the score at 24-24. From there, Gabrielle Shilling and Pinell got a block to put URI up 25-24 and Wagner hammered home a set-clinching kill to knot the match at 1-1.

Set Three – Florida Gulf Coast 25, Rhode Island 14
The third set looked more like the first, with the Eagles building a 17-6 lead and preventing the Rams from scoring consecutive points until back-to-back kills by Pinell and Brynne Wright cut the deficit to single digits (17-8). Another ace by Blaney then capped a 4-1 Rhody push, but that was as close as the Rams would get as FGCU outscored URI 7-2 down the stretch.
 
Set Four – Florida Gulf Coast 25, Rhode Island 10
Florida Gulf Coast finished strong, building a 10-5 lead and never letting the Rams back in it. The Eagles continued to apply the pressure and disrupt Rhody's game plan, closing things out on a 15-5 run.

Inside the Box Score

• Senior Claire Wagner double-doubled for the Rams, finishing the match with 12 kills and 11 digs. She also had a pair of blocks and one service ace.
• Junior Brynne Wright and freshman Karlee Pinell each added eight kills. Pinnell also recorded three blocks.
• Sophomore transfer Katie Butler had 25 assists on Rhody's 35 kills, and added seven digs.
• Fifth-year senior Abby Fillion finished with a match-high 27 digs. She also had four assists.
• Grad student Gabrielle Shilling led Rhode Island with four block assists.
• Sophomore Hannah Blaney served up a career-high three aces to go with seven digs.
• FGCU combined for 13 service aces, compared to Rhody's seven.

Up Next
The Rams close out competition at the Maryland Invite on Saturday, when they take on Navy at 1 p.m.