Kristen Dickmann Invitational
Score: VCU 3, Navy 1 (25-20, 32-30, 17-25, 25-18)
Location: Annapolis, Md. (Brown Field House)
Records: VCU 2-2, Navy 2-2
 
The short story: Sophomore outside hitter Parker Hartzell blasted a career-high 13 kills to lead three Rams in double figures in a four-set win at Navy Thursday night.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Hartzell rang up her 13 kills in 31 swings and hit .258. She added a pair of blocks
• Seniors Jovana Vukcevic and Qairo Bentley also supplied 10 kills each for the Black and Gold. Bentley chipped in six digs and four blocks
• Junior middle blocker Jasmine Knight registered nine kills in just 17 attempts for VCU, while junior middle Sarah Stratton provided five aces, six digs and three blocks
• Sophomore libero Crew Hoffmeier dug 18 balls from the back row for the Rams. She was also credited with 10 assists
• Jordan Llewellyn led all players with 19 kills for Navy 

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU hit .292 in the three sets it won, shaking off a third frame in which it hit -.094
• The Rams took command when they managed to pull out a 32-30 win in the marathon second set to grab a 2-0 set advantage in the match. The second featured 12 ties and four lead changes and saw VCU fight off six set points on the way to victory. VCU surged for the final three points in the frame, including back-to-back blocks with Bentley at the center of the action, to secure the win
• VCU used a 4-0 burst midway through the fourth to take a 13-10 lead and never looked back. The Rams never trailed again on the way to a 25-18 triumph
• The Rams served up a season-high nine aces in the match

NOTABLE

• Stratton's five aces were the most by a Ram since Dani Jo David registered five against Lehigh on Aug. 30, 2019
• Hartzell's 13-kill effort topped her previous collegiate best, a 10-kill performance against Fordham in the 2021 Atlantic 10 Conference Tournament

NEXT UP
VCU will take on UAlbany on Friday, Sept. 2 at 4:30 p.m. in Annapolis, Md. as play in Navy's Kristen Dickmann Invitational continues.