Score: Dayton 3, VCU 2 (23-25, 25-18, 25-20, 22-25, 15-11)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 11-11 (6-3 Atlantic 10), Dayton 17-5 (10-0)
 
The short story: Freshman outside hitter Kialah Jefferson posted her second straight 20-kill match, but it wasn't enough to carry VCU past first-place Dayton in a down-to-the-wire five-set thriller Friday.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Jefferson recorded 22 kills on the night on 62 swings. She added 11 digs, five blocks and an ace
• Alyna Draper led a valiant VCU defensive effort with 20 digs. She was one of six Rams to register double-digit digs
• Sophomore middle blocker Kylie Loftis provided six blocks and five kills to the VCU cause
• Dayton's Jamie Peterson led all players with 26 kills and 13 digs

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU took an 11-9 lead in the fifth, only to watch Peterson and the Flyers turn the Rams away. Peterson ripped three straight kills and registered a block as Dayton closed the match on a 6-0 run
• The Rams hit -.097 in the fifth and .130 in the match
• VCU forced the tiebreaker after staging a come-from-behind win in the fourth. The Rams trailed 14-9 midway through the frame, but Jefferson sparked a 9-0 VCU blitz with three kills and a pair of blocks to give the Black and Gold an 18-14 advantage. The Rams never looked back

NOTABLE

• The match was a defensive tug-of-war. VCU piled up 84 digs, while Dayton totaled 83. Both teams recorded 12 blocks
• Jefferson is averaging 4.7 kills per set in two matches this week
• Friday's loss snapped the Rams' three-match winning streak

NEXT UP
VCU will return to the floor on Sunday, Oct. 24 when it hosts Duquesne at 1 p.m. at the Siegel Center. That match can be seen on ESPN+.