Connecticut Starters (4-4)
Perry, Powell, Kutlu, Werkmeister, Pannell, Rome, Wyman

Rhode Island Starters (1-6)
Ma. Disu, Owens, Shilling, Blahut, Bowman, Butler, Blaney

How it Happened
A five-set marathon did not go Rhode Island's way despite a strong effort against Connecticut on the first day of the Yale Invitational. The Rams won the first and third sets, but the Huskies charged back late to complete the comeback.

Set One - Rhode Island 25, UConn 23
The Rams opened an early 6-2 lead behind a balanced attack, as Gabrielle Shilling, Madi Disu and Andrea Owens each had kills during a 4-0 run. UConn put together a 5-point run to take a 10-8 lead, but Rhody stayed the course. Samantha Blahut and Aerin Bowman combined for a block and Blahut followed with a kill to help get URI in front, 16-13. A late surge by the Huskies put them ahead 23-22, but a UConn service error, an ace by Katie Butler and a Bowman kill secured the tightly-contested set for Rhode Island.

Set Two - UConn 25, Rhode Island 19 
Rhody led the set 16-15,  but a 5-1 run put Connecticut in control, 20-17. Aerin Bowman delivered a kill to pull URI within two points at 21-19, but the final four points went the way of the Huskies to knot the match up.

Set Three - Rhode Island 25, UConn 19
The tandem of Gabrielle Shilling and Aerin Bowman combined for six kills and also paired up for two blocks to spark URI in the third set. URI had its best offensive set of the match, hitting .276 with 12 kills and just four errors as it held the lead for the majority of the time.

Set Four - UConn 25, Rhode Island 16
UConn's offense starting clicking on all cylinders, as the Huskies .407 as a team. The Huskies had 12 kills and just one error, while Rhode Island hit just .053. The Rams had 12 kills and 10 errors. This allowed UConn to keep the Rams at an arm's length throughout the set and tie the match.

Set Five - UConn 15, Rhode Island 9
The teams traded the first six points of the deciding set, with neither side leading by more than a point until UConn used a 5-1 spurt to get in front, 7-4. Gabrielle Shilling provided two kills in a span of three points to help Rhody get the score back to 8-7. However, UConn never gave up the lead. A ball-handling error and three attack errors in a row - two on blocks by the Huskies - ended the match.

Inside the Box Score

• Graduate student Gabrielle Shilling led Rhode Island with a season-high 13 kills.
• She hit .500 for the match and added five block assists.
• Junior Andrea Owens just missed a double-double, getting nine kills and 13 digs.
• Redshirt junior Samantha Blahut and sophomores Aerin Bowman and Karlee Pinnell contributed seven kills each. 
• Junior Katie Butler had a season-high 29 assists to go with seven digs.
• Junior Hannah Blaney had a team-high 17 digs and five assists.
• Sophomore Ryleigh Powers chipped in nine digs. 

Up Next 
Rhode Island plays two matches Saturday, taking on Yale at 1 p.m. and Sacred Heart at 5 p.m. Both matches will stream on ESPN+.