Rhode Island Starters
Wagner, Wright, Klise, Gage, Shilling, Butler, Blaney
 
Saint Louis Starters
Richardson, Tziarli, Henken, Lynn, Rice, Mattingly, Rodgers
 
Set One – Saint Louis 27, Rhode Island 25
Rhode Island hit at a .379 clip in the opening set, recording 15 kills on 29 attacks, but still came up short. Saint Louis claimed 10 of the first 15 points and remained on top until a service ace by Hannah Blaney tied the score at 24-24. An error on the Rams' next serve gave the Billikens set point at 25-24, but a block by Gillian Klise and Karlee Pinell tied the score once again. SLU finished things off from there, using a kill and a block to win it 27-25.

Set Two – Rhode Island 25, Saint Louis 20
The second set was tight throughout as there were three lead changes and nine ties. With the Billikens up 13-11, Rhody used a 5-1 run to take over the lead for good at 16-14. Saint Louis eventually called a timeout when a kill by Gabrielle Shilling put the Rams up 23-19, but a block by Klise and Claire Wagner and then gave URI set point. SLU won the point but Wagner then delivered her eighth kill of set to seal the set, 25-20.

Set Three – Rhode Island 25, Saint Louis 20
Rhode Island opened the set on a 4-0 run and never relinquished the lead. Neither team hit especially well as Rhody had the better attack percentage at just .111 compared to SLU's .061. With URI leading 22-14, the Billikens used a 6-1 push to pull within three at 23-20. That was as close at it got however, as a SLU attack error set up Klise's set-clinching ace.
 
Set Four – Saint Louis 25, Rhode Island 23
Saint Louis halted Rhody's momentum in the fourth set as the Rams never led by more than one, and saw their last advantage at 8-7. Rhody hung close, and eventually tied the score back up at 18 apiece, forcing the Billikens to call a time out. After the break, SLU reeled off three consecutive points to go up 21-18. Rhode Island kept fighting and fended off back-to-back set points for Saint Louis as a service ace from Adel Gage cut the deficit to one (24-23). The Billikens used another timeout and then used a set-winning kill from Jillian Mattingly to knot the match at 2-2.
 
Set Five – Saint Louis 15, Rhode Island 9
Rhode Island jumped out to a 4-1 lead to open the fifth set, but Saint Louis responded with a 5-1 run to go up 6-5. A kill by Wagner tied things at six all, but another 5-1 push put SLU in front 11-7. The Billikens kept Rhody at arms length from there, taking the set by a score of 15-9.

Inside the Box Score

• Despite Saint Louis winning the match 3-2, both teams combined to score 107 points through the match's five sets.
• Senior Claire Wagner recorded a match-high 21 kills for the Rams. She also had four digs, two blocks, one assist and one service ace.
• Grad student Gabrielle Shilling finished with 10 kills and three blocks.
• Junior Brynne Wright narrowly missed a double-double with nine kills and 10 digs.
• Freshman Karlee Pinell added eight kills and three blocks.
• Senior Gillian Klise had six kills, two blocks and one ace.
• Sophomore Katie Butler registered 44 assists, 13 digs, three kills, two aces and one block.
• Sophomore Hannah Blaney (23) and senior Adel Gage (10) combined for 33 digs. Each player also recorded two service aces. 

Up Next
The Rams and Billikens return to Keaney Gymnasium for a 4 p.m. match on Saturday.