Tournament: Winthrop Invitational
Score: Eastern Kentucky 3, VCU 1 (21-25, 25-19, 25-18, 25-22)
Location: Rock Hill, S.C. (Winthrop Coliseum)
Records: VCU 3-7, EKU 10-2
 
The short story: Senior middle blocker Sarah Stratton and junior opposite Parker Hartzell combined for 26 kills and six blocks in a 3-1 VCU loss to Eastern Kentucky Saturday afternoon.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Hartzell smacked a team-high 14 kills and hit .400 on 30 swings. She committed just two errors. She added three digs and a block
• Stratton spiked 12 kills in 30 tries and hit .300. The New Zealand native also piled up five blocks, including two solos
• Senior middle blocker Jasmine Knight also provided 11 kills and four blocks for the Rams, while senior outside hitter Ana Brangioni bolstered the defense with 20 digs
• Graduate setter AnnaBelle Tomei set 27 assists and added seven digs and a service ace for the Black and Gold
• Kambree Lucas and Carson Ledford led Eastern Kentucky with 14 kills each

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU was unable to capitalize on a 1-0 lead. The Rams hit .297 on the way to a 25-21 win in the opening frame, but didn't approach that mark in any of the three remaining sets
• The Colonels hit .260 on the day and outdug VCU 71-63. EKU also used 11.0 blocks to fuel its victory
• Lucas snapped a 16-all tie in the second set with a kill, and Ledford supplied three blocks and a kill to spark a 9-3 Colonels run to finish the frame
• The Rams led 16-15 in the fourth following a Knight kill and back-to-back EKU hitting errors, but the Colonels responded with a 7-2 burst behind kills by Lucas, Molly Shomock and AG Vandagriff 

NEXT UP
VCU will kick off Atlantic 10 Conference play Sept. 22-23 at Saint Louis. Those matches will be broadcast live on ESPN+.