Score: VCU 3, Rhode Island 2 (25-18, 25-16, 24-26, 16-25, 15-11)
Location: Kingston, R.I. (Keaney Gymnasium)
Records: VCU 11-8 (8-1 Atlantic 10), Rhode Island 3-18 (0-9)
 
The short story: Junior outside hitter Kialah Jefferson provided a match-high 21 kills, including three critical ones in the tiebreaker, to lift VCU Sunday at Rhode Island.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Jefferson made the most of her 47 swings on Sunday, registering her second 20-kill match of the season. She hit .255 on the day and added 10 digs, four blocks and three aces
• Senior middle blocker Jasmine Knight added 12 kills, eight digs and six blocks for the Black and Gold, while junior opposite Parker Hartzell chipped in eight kills
• VCU freshman libero Anja Kujundzic scooped up 24 digs and served up seven aces
• Madi Disu led Rhode Island for the second straight day with 13 kills

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU turned up the defense in the fifth, holding Rhode Island to a .077 hitting percentage. Jefferson spiked three kills on seven tries in the frame and Kujundzic served up a pair of critical aces as VCU held on for a 15-11 victory. The Black and Gold jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the tiebreaker and never looked back
• VCU was dominant in the first two sets and hit .346 in the second on the way to a 2-0 lead
• The Black and Gold recorded 14 service aces and owned a 10-7 advantage in blocks 

NOTABLE

• VCU extended its win streak over Rhode Island to 12 matches in Sunday's triumph
• VCU improved to 8-1 in league play and currently sits second in the league standings, one match behind Dayton
• Kujundzic's seven aces are the most by a VCU player in more than 20 years. The school single-match record is 10

NEXT UP
VCU will play host to defending A-10 Champs Loyola Chicago Oct. 20-21 at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. Friday's match will get underway at 6 p.m. and will be streamed live on ESPN+.