Score: VCU 3, Saint Louis 2 (25-23, 25-15, 22-25, 16-25, 15-11)
Location: St. Louis, Mo. (Chaifetz Pavilion)
Records: 4-7 (1-0 A-10), Saint Louis 7-6 (0-1)
 
The short story: Senior middle blocker Jasmine Knight piled up 15 kills and six blocks as VCU held off host Saint Louis to open Atlantic 10 Conference play Friday.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Knight hit .355 on the evening on 31 attempts as she enjoyed her best match of the 2023 campaign
• Senior outside hitter Ana Brangioni led the Rams with 16 kills. She hit .244 and also provided nine digs and a pair of blocks
• Junior opposite Parker Hartzell added 12 kills for the Black and Gold, while freshman libero Anja Kujundzic turned in a career-high 27 digs Friday night
• Delaney Rice led all player with 19 kills for Saint Louis

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU trailed 8-6 in the tiebreaker, but Knight helped ignite a match-changing 6-0 run with a kill, with Kujundzic serving five straight points, as the Rams took a 12-8 lead on the way to the 15-11 win
• Hartzell helped carry the Rams across the finish line with four kills on five attempts in the fifth set
• The Rams held the Billikens to a paltry -.136 hitting percentage in the final frame
• VCU hit .194 in the match, including .273 in the second set as the Rams stormed to a 2-0 advantage
• The Black and Gold served up 10 aces in the contest, three each by graduate setter AnnaBelle Tomei, Kujundzic and junior setter Taylor Aguano 

NOTABLE

• With Friday's victory, the Rams capture their first A-10 win under first-year Head Coach Tim Doyle
• Kujundzic has topped 20 digs twice this season, and is averaging 4.15 per set 

NEXT UP
VCU and Saint Louis will meet again on Saturday, Sept. 23 at 3 p.m. at Chaifetz Pavilion.