Box Score Tournament: Shocker Volleyball Classic
Score: #13 BYU 3, VCU 1 (25-8, 22-25, 25-22, 25-21)
Location: Wichita, Kan. (Koch Arena)
Records: VCU 6-4, BYU 7-2
The short story: Senior middle blocker Jasmin Sneed (San Antonio, Texas) led another strong VCU blocking performance, as the Rams battled 13th-ranked BYU Saturday.
OPENING VOLLEY
- Sneed was party to nine of VCU's 16 blocks in the match. She also recorded eight kills on 15 swings and hit .400
- Senior opposite Gina Tuzzolo (Newport News, Va.) added eight blocks and eight kills for the Black and Gold, while senior outside hitter Vicky Giommarini (Rome, Italy) provided a team-best nine kills
- On the back row, senior libero Madalon Simpson (Louisville, Ky.) was credited with 11 digs for the Rams
- BYU's McKenna Miller led all players with 13 kills
THE DIFFERENCE
- BYU came out firing. The Cougars hit .364 in the first set on the way to a 25-8 win. The Rams were undone by 10 hitting errors in the frame
- The Cougars hit .271 in the match overall, compared to .103 for VCU. BYU also held a 54-43 advantage in digs and served up nine aces
- Despite the slow start, VCU battled back for a 25-22 win in the second and pushed the Cougars in the third and fourth. A triple block by Tuzzolo, Sneed and Giommarini briefly gave VCU a 19-18 lead in the fourth set, but back-to-back kills by Miller pushed BYU back in front for good
NOTABLE
- For their efforts this weekend, senior setter Dajah Ard and Sneed were named to the All-Tournament Team
- VCU outblocked BYU 16-6
- In a pair of weekend matches, Sneed hit .435 with 11 blocks
- This was the second all-time meeting between these two schools and first since 2006
NEXT UP
VCU will hit the road to face in-state rival James Madison on Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 6 p.m. in Harrisonburg, Va.
