University of Rhode Island

Rhode Island Starters
Johnson, Melton, Abuto, Stermenska, Richter, Sawyer, Henry (L)

Duquesne Starters 
Wilmot, Bush, Stone, Searles, Schrom, Robertson, McIntosh, (L) Flowers (L)   

How it Happened
Grace Keaney delivered the best match of her young career and helped Rhode Island grab its first Atlantic 10 win of the season, as the Rams beat Duquesne 3-2 (25-22, 26-24, 15-25, 23-25, 15-8) Friday night.

The Rams (6-14, 1-7 A10) took the first two sets, than had to respond to adversity as the visiting Dukes (12-7, 3-5 A-10) battled back to take the third and fourth sets. After falling behind 4-1 in the tie-breaking fifth set, the Rams stormed back with a 14-4 run. Keaney's kill on match point sealed the win and snapped URI's nine-match skid.

Set One - Rhode Island 25, Duquesne 22
Rhody started hot and got kills on its first five attacks of the match. The Rams never trailed in the set, and the score was tied just one time. Emily Sawyer led the attack with four kills, though six different players had at least one.  

Set Two - Rhode Island 26, Duquesne 24
Rhode Island was up 14-8 before Duquesne used a 9-0 run to take a 17-14 lead. URI was still down 22-17 before catching fire. Two kills from Cara Richter and back-to-back McKenna Melton aces sparked a 9-2 run. Rhody clinched the set with a block from Chloe Abuto and Emily Sawyer for a 2-0 lead.

Set Three - Duquesne 25, Rhode Island 15
Duquesne got four kills each from Jordan Robertson and Simone Searles as it cruised in the third set. Londyn Stone and Emeerson Schrom had two aces each as the Dukes kept the match alive.

Set Four - Duquesne 26, Rhode Island 24
After trailing 16-8, Rhode Island battled back with a 6-0 run that forced Duquesne to call timeout at 16-14. A Dakota Henry pulled Rhody even, as the home team appeared to be taking control. The teams went back and forth down the stretch until back-to-back points put the Dukes up 24-22. Cara Richter delivered a kill to wipe out one set point, but a block by Jordan Roberton and Chloe Wilmot ended the set and tied the match 2-2.

Set Five - Rhode Island 15, Duquesne 8
It looked bleak early, as Duquesne rushed out to a 4-1 lead to start the fifth. Rhode Island reached deep and managed to force ties at 4-4, 5-5, 6-6 and 7-7. Back-to-back kills by Cara Richter gave the Rams a 9-7 lead, and the home team took over. Chloe Abuto and Grace Keaney combined for blocks on two straight points, and after a Duquesne timeout, an attack error and another Richter kill put the Rams ahead 13-7. A KJ Johnson ace set up match point, and after one point for the Dukes, a Keaney kill ended the match in URI's favor.

Inside the Box Score

• Grace Keaney had a career-high 12 kills with just two errors, hitting a strong .455.
• Emily Sawyer and Cara Richter tied for team-high honors with 13 kills each.
• Richter also had 11 digs for her fourth career double-double.
• Sawyer added four block assists.
• Ema Stermenska was excellent directing the offense, providing 24 assists and seven digs with two aces.
• Fellow setter Jahan Lalli added 20 assists and three digs.
• Dakota Henry had 22 digs, six assists and five aces.
• Chloe Abuto had six kills and five block assists.
• KJ Johnson had four kills and four total blocks.
• McKenna Melton had a career-high 15 digs to go with five kills and two aces.

Up Next
Rhode Island and Duquesne are back at it Saturday, Oct. 17 at 12 p.m.