VCU Invitational
Score: VCU 3, UMBC 2 (25-17, 26-28, 25-22, 9-25, 15-7)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 5-6, UMBC 5-4
 
The short story: Senior outside hitter led Qairo Bentley VCU with 16 kills, and junior outside hitter Ana Brangioni supplied four timely kills in the fifth-set tiebreaker as VCU outlasted UMBC Saturday.
 
OPENING VOLLEY
·      Bentley was one of three Rams to reach double figure kills. She added 11 digs and a block
·      Sophomore outside hitter Parker Hartzell and Brangioni provided 14 and 13 kills, respectively, for the Black and Gold. Brangioni was also credited with 13 digs
·      Sophomore setter Taylor Aguano directed the VCU offense behind a career-high 44 assists, while adding 11 digs and five blocks
·      Junior middle blocker Sarah Stratton kicked in six kills, five blocks and four service aces for VCU
·      UMBC's Kamani Conteh led all players with 28 kills
 
THE DIFFERENCE
·      VCU fell behind 4-0 in the tiebreaker, only to rattle off 11 of the next 12 points to take a commanding 11-5 lead. Brangioni blasted three kills in a decisive four-point sequence midway through the frame, including a pair on back-to-back plays in which she hammered Retriever overpasses VCU scores
·      The Rams hit .421 in the fifth and committed just one error, while UMBC hit .042 in the frame
·      VCU hit .183 overall in what was, statistically, an even match
·      The Rams rallied back from the brink following wipeout fourth set in which the Retrievers hit .357 on the way to a convincing 25-9 decision
·      Bentley spiked seven kills in 15 swings in the first set to propel VCU to a 25-17 win and an early advantage in the match
 
NOTABLE
·      VCU is 2-1 in five-set matches this season.  
·      Despite a two-hour, 27-minute run time, Saturday's match was not VCU's longest of the year. VCU and Michigan State battled for two hours and 34 minutes on Sept. 3
·      Brangioni's 13 kills were her most as a Ram
 
NEXT UP
VCU will face Old Dominion at 6 p.m. in a weekend finale at the Siegel Center.