Score: VCU 3, La Salle 2 (23-25, 25-19, 25-17, 22-25, 15-12)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 9-14 (3-5 A-10), La Salle 6-19 (0-8)

• Freshman middle blocker Tori Baldwin powered VCU with a season-high 11 kills and six blocks, including three solos, as the Rams held off La Salle Friday night in five sets at the Siegel Center.
• The Rams held the Explorers to a .036 hitting percentage in the fifth set tiebreaker on the way to victory.
• While Baldwin supplied 15.5 points, sophomore libero Rebekah Strange likely prevented nearly as many. She dug 22 balls for the Rams and tacked on a service ace. Strange made two difficult, crucial digs during a critical rally in the fifth set. The Rams eventually won that point to take a 13-10 lead.
• Outside hitters Kalah Jones (14 kills, 11 digs) and Sahbria McLetchie (15 kills, 11 digs) both turned in double-doubles to aid the VCU cause.
• McLetchie supplied three of her kills and a pair of solo blocks in the fifth set alone to help lift the Rams.
• Redshirt freshman setter Indigo Thompson added 41 assists and 13 digs for the Rams.
• Ashley Felton led La Salle with 14 kills and six blocks.

KEY MOMENTS

• The Rams fell behind 3-1 in the fifth before roaring to life. VCU ripped off seven straight points, two via McLetchie solo blocks, to assume a commanding 8-3 lead. The Explorers would draw as close as 12-10 before a Baldwin kill and ball handling error derailed them.
•  A wire-to-wire victory in the second set, followed by a convincing win in the third had VCU poised for a four-set triumph. But La Salle jumped to a 19-13 in the fourth lead behind a 6-2 burst. VCU nearly rallied all the way back, closing within 22-21 and 23-22, but a block by Felton and a Rams' attacking error meant the victory party would have to wait.

BEHIND THE BOX SCORE

• Jones continues her match toward 1,000 career kills at VCU. With 14 Friday, she needs just 13 more to become just the sixth Ram to reach that milestone.
• Strange has recorded at least 20 digs in four of her last seven matches.

• VCU will host Duquesne at the Siegel Center on Sunday, Oct. 25 at 2 p.m.