Tournament: Erie Invitational
Location: Harrisonburg, Va. (JMU Convocation Center)
Records: VCU 3-3, New Hampshire 6-2
 
The short story: Ten kills from senior outside hitter Ana Brangioni couldn't slow down New Hampshire Friday in VCU's opener at the Erie Invitational in Harrisonburg, Va.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Brangioni, as she's done in much of the early part of the 2023 season, led the VCU offense with her fourth double-digit kill effort in six matches. She hit .214 on 28 attempts and added a pair of blocks
• Junior outside hitter Kialah Jefferson also provided 12 kills and four digs for the Rams on the offensive end
• Freshman libero Anja Kujundzic supplied 13 digs for the Black and Gold
• Kelly Kaufmann spurred the Wildcats with 10 kills and five blocks 

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU struggled to get going offensively and hit .132 in the match. UNH, meanwhile, hit .324 in the first set on the way to an early lead, and finished with a .264 average on the day
• New Hampshire owned statistical edges in blocks (8-4), aces (6-4) and digs (48-46)
• Kaufmann was responsible for four kills and two blocks in the first set alone as UNH scored a 25-19 win in the opening frame. The set was tied a 14-all, but the Wildcats closed on an 11-5 win to wrestle away an early advantage
• VCU committed 10 errors and hit .026 in the second set as UNH earned a 25-20 win and a 2-0 match lead

NEXT UP
VCU meet Cal Poly on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 5 p.m. at the JMU Convocation Center in Harrisonburg, Va.