Score: VCU 3, Duquesne 2 (27-25, 18-25, 25-21, 20-25, 15-13)
Location: Pittsburgh, Pa. (UPMC Cooper Field House)
Records: VCU 13-15 (8-8 Atlantic 10), Duquesne 6-21 (3-12)
The short story: Junior middle blocker
Jasmine Knight torched Duquesne for a career-high 19 kills to push VCU past the Dukes in a five-set thriller Saturday.
OPENING VOLLEY
- Knight, who had set her career-high with 18 kills in Friday's match with Duquesne, burned the Dukes by hitting .447 on 38 attempts. She also registered a match-high nine blocks in one of the finest performances of her illustrious career
- Senior outside hitter Jovana Vukcevic did not commit an error in 34 attempts and finished with 14 kills and four blocks for the Black and Gold
- Senior outside hitter Qairo Bentley (11 kills, 22 digs, four blocks) and sophomore outside hitter Kialah Jefferson (10 kills, 27 digs) were also key to VCU's victory
- Sophomore libero Crew Hoffmeier chipped in with 26 digs from the back row for the Rams
- Elizabeth Osborn led Duquesne with a match-high 21 kills
THE DIFFERENCE
- VCU hit .259 in the fifth-set tiebreaker, while holding the Dukes to a paltry -.032. Duquesne managed just five kills in the set
- The fifth set featured six ties and four lead changes, but it was a 4-0 burst that included a Bentley kill and a pair of double blocks, first from junior middle Sarah Stratton and Corinna Jones, then Jones and Knight, that pushed the Rams over the top for good at 14-12. Two plays later, Knight punched home her 19th kill to secure the VCU victory
- VCU recorded 101 digs in the match and owned a 15-12 advantage in blocks. The Rams also held the Dukes to a .146 hitting percentage
NOTABLE
- Knight averaged 4.11 kills per set and hit .492 in two matches this weekend
- VCU is 16-6 against Duquesne since the Rams joined the Atlantic 10 Conference prior to the 2012 season
NEXT UP
VCU will return home for a pair of matches with George Washington to close out the regular season. The Rams will open with a 1 p.m. match against the Colonials on Saturday, Nov. 12 at 1 p.m. at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.
