Score: VCU 3, Rhode Island 0 (25-19, 25-16, 25-18)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 13-8 (11-2 Atlantic 10), Rhode Island 8-18 (3-10)
 
The short story: Freshman outside hitter Lara Del Core rang up 13 kills, and VCU hit a season-high .414 as the Black and Gold chewed up Rhode Island in three sets Friday night.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Del Core made the best of her 24 swings, hitting .417. She added two aces and a block to finish with a team-high 15.5 points
• Graduate middle blocker Jasmine Knight spiked nine kills on just 14 attempts and also provided three blocks for VCU
• Junior outside hitters Kalina Pylinska and Julia Rienks chipped in nine kills each for the Black and Gold
• Chloe Abuto paced URI with seven kills and four blocks 

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU hit .303 in the first, .385 in the second and .571 in the third, while Rhode Island struggled to get traction offensively. URI hit .183 for the match, including just .067 in the first
• The Black and Gold outdug Rhody 36-24 and owned a 6-3 edge in service aces
• VCU's largest deficit in any set Friday was one point
• In the second, VCU held a narrow, 9-7 advantage, but promptly ripped off six straight points, including kills by Knight and Del Core, to take command at 15-7
• Rhode Island led 9-8 in the third, but Knight sandwiched two kills around one by Del Core amid 6-1 VCU blitz that gave the Black and Gold the lead for good at 14-10

NOTABLE

• VCU has defeated Rhode Island 14 straight times, a streak that dates to the 2017 season
• The Black and Gold have won a season-high nine straight matches, including the past three via sweep

NEXT UP
VCU will host Rhode Island on Saturday, Nov. 2 at 2 p.m. in its final home match of the season.