Scores: Ohio 3, VCU 0 (25-17, 26-24, 25-20)
Tournament: Baymont Inn and Suites Invitational
Location: Ohio University Convocation Center (Athens, Ohio)
Records: Ohio 2-3, VCU 1-4 

THE BASICS

• Senior middle Janelle Sykes turned in her best offensive performance of the season for VCU, providing 11 kills while hitting .350 in a 3-0 road loss to 2013 NCAA Tournament participant Ohio.  
• Freshman Mary Kilbane continued her early-season strong play on the back row with a match-high 18 digs. She led a VCU defense that outdug Ohio 48-43.
• Kelly Lamberti led the Bobcats' attack with 15 kills and nine digs.
• Sophomore setter Cecilia Aragao added 25 assists, nine digs and two blocks for the Rams.
   

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Despite a slow start in the opening set, the Rams charged back in the second. VCU trailed 10-7 early in the second, but battled to take a 14-13 advantage behind three kills from Sykes. The set would remain close the rest of the way.
• The Rams drew within a point of a second set victory, but Ohio showed why it's a perennial favorite in the Mid-American Conference and closed the frame with a 4-0 burst.
• VCU edged in front 17-15 in the final set on the strength of kills by Uzoamaka Ibeh (twice) and Kalah Jones, but Ohio, led by two-time AVCA All-Region outside hitter Lamberti, again finished with a flurry to secure the win.

QUOTABLE FROM COACH ROGERS

"Again, another NCAA team from last year that's obviously very good and we're just taking some lumps right now. When you have a lot of new players, sometimes it can take a while for them to get to know each other and learn how to be teammates. We're going to get there, it just takes time, but with a lot of new players and our schedule, we're bound to have some bumps in the road."

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• VCU and Ohio have now met three times in the last five seasons. VCU knocked off the Bobcats 3-1 last year at the Siegel Center, and Ohio claimed a 3-0 victory in Athens in 2010. 
• The Bobcats are one of several NCAA squads from last season that dot VCU's schedule. Ohio has reached the NCAA Tournament eight times since 2003, and has claimed a share of the MAC title 10 times in the last 11 years. 

WHAT'S NEXT
VCU will return to action at 5 p.m. Saturday evening in its Baymont Inn and Suites finale against one of the SEC's top teams in Texas A&M.