Rhode Island Starters
Rolle, Me. Disu, Abuto, McCarles, Ma. Disu, Houchens, Henry (L)

VCU Starters
Rienks, Del Core, Knight, Aguano, Pylinska, Galli, Kujundzic (L)

How it Happened
The balanced efficiency of VCU (13-8, 11-2 Atlantic 10) was too much for Rhode Island (8-18, 3-10 A-10) to keep up with as the home team completed the 3-0 sweep (25-19, 25-16, 25-18 ) Friday night at the Siegel Center.

Set One – VCU 25, Rhode Island 19

An early 8-2 VCU burst at the 3-3 mark was the difference in the opening set for the home team. VCU controlled play from there, as a 6-0 run gave the Black and Gold a commanding 19-8 lead. A kill from Lara Del Core gave VCU their first set point at 24-14 and Rhody battled from there. An Edie Lamoreuax ace sandwiched between two Erika Bracey kills helped Rhode Island fend off five set points until a kill from Kalina Pylinska solidified the result for VCU. Rhode Island hit just .067 off of eight kills and six errors as the home team knocked in 17 kills with a .303 attack percentage.

Set Two – VCU 25, Rhode Island 16

It was all VCU in the second set as the home team scored the first three points and never let Rhody back in it. Leading 16-13, the Rams of VCU reeled off eight in a row to extend their lead to 24-13. A VCU service error put an end to the rally as Rhode Island fended off the next two set points with a solo Emma Vente block and a Madi Disu ace. Despite the effort, Rhody could not keep the momentum going as a service error clinched the second set for the Black and Gold.

Set Three – VCU 25, Rhode Island 18

Rhody put up its strongest fight in the third set with 10 tie scores and three lead changes but it was not enough to prolong the action. Following kills from Sydney Houchens and Chloe Abuto, a block assist by Abuto and Kiera McCarles tied the score for the tenth time at 15-15. Rhode Island could not keep the momentum up as the home team scored eight of the next 10 points to jump ahead 23-17. Havyn Rolle was the last Ram to score as she knocked in her fifth kill of the night at the 23-18 mark, as kills from Julia Rienks and Lara Del Core secured the 3-0 sweep for VCU.

Inside the Box Score:

• Sophomore Chloe Abuto led Rhode Island with seven kills and a team-high .375 hitting percentage.
• Abuto also contributed four blocks, including one solo effort for the Rams.
• Rhode Island outpaced VCU in team blocks, 8-6.
• The eight blocks helped the Rams maintain their rally-point era record for total blocks in a season with 252.5.
• The 252.5 total blocks is the seventh-highest single-season mark in program history. The overall record is 372 in 1996, during the sideout era.
• Freshman Erika Bracey added six kills on 12 swings with a .250 attack percentage.
• Bracey also contributed two block assists.
• Sophomore Madi Disu and freshman Havyn Rolle matched with five kills and one error a piece.
• Disu also contributed a team-high six digs and two service aces.
• Junior Kiera McCarles dished out 15 assists, with senior Katie Butler and sophomore Catalina Hendricks behind with seven and four, respectively.
• VCU outpaced Rhode Island offensively as they hit a season-high .414 with 49 kills and 13 errors.
• Rhody was limited to .183 as they logged 29 kills and 14 errors.
• Freshman Lara Del Core led the Black and Gold's offense with 13 kills and one error.
• VCU's trio of Julia Rienks, Kalina Palinska and Jasmine Knight combined for 27 of the team's 49 kills.
• The Black and Gold have won a season-high nine straight matches, including the past three via sweep.