Score: VCU 3, Fordham 1 (21-25, 31-29, 25-21, 25-11)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 9-7 (6-0 Atlantic 10), Fordham 11-5 (2-4)
 
The short story: Junior opposite Parker Hartzell recorded a career-high 17 kills, and VCU received outstanding all-around efforts from senior middle Jasmine Knight and junior outside hitter Kialah Jefferson Saturday in a come-from-behind win over Fordham.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Hartzell hit .333 in the match on a career-high 42 swings. She added six blocks
• Jefferson provided 15 kills, 22 digs three blocks and an ace for the Black and Gold
• Knight led VCU with 21.5 points on 16 kills and eight blocks, including three solos
• Also, freshman libero Anja Kujundzic supplied 28 digs from the back row for VCU
• Whitley Moody registered 17 kills for Fordham 

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU held Fordham to a .093 hitting percentage in the match
• Defensively, VCU piled up 98 digs and a season-high 17.0 blocks
• The momentum of the match shifted on VCU's 31-29 marathon win in the second set. VCU trailed 24-21 at one point and staved off set point seven times. In the end, Jefferson blasted set-clinching, back-to-back kills, her fifth and sixth of the frame, to push the Black and Gold across the finish line
• VCU took command in the third and fourth set. The Black and Gold stormed to sizable leads in both stanzas (14-4 in the third, 19-6 in the fourth) and never trailed in either frame 

NOTABLE

• VCU has won six straight matches and remains tied with Dayton atop the Atlantic 10 Conference standings at 6-0
• Knight has recorded exactly 16 kills in four straight matches
• Knight has racked up 39 blocks in six league matches to move into seventh on VCU's career list with 362. She needs 16 more blocks to pass VCU Assistant Coach Cecilia Blanchard (nee Aragao) on VCU's all-time list

NEXT UP
VCU will host Fordham again on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1 p.m. at the Siegel Center.