Tournament: Cactus Classic
Score: Boise State 3, VCU 0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-20)
Location: Tucson, Ariz. (McKale Center)
Records: VCU 0-2, Boise State 2-1
 
The short story: Freshman outside hitter Lara Del Core provided a team-high nine kills, but VCU dropped its weekend finale to Boise State Sunday at Arizona's McKale Center.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Del Core hit .333 on 24 swings for the Black and Gold
• Graduate middle blocker Jasmine Knight supplied six kills and four blocks for the Rams, while junior outside hitter Julia Rienks added six kills and three blocks
• Paige Bartsch led all players with 12 kills for Boise State 

THE DIFFERENCE

• Boise State hit .292 in the match, including .344 in the first two sets, while the Rams were limited to a .146 mark
• The Broncos owned a 9-5 advantage in blocks and 44-32 in digs. Boise also served up seven aces
• The Rams battled early. In the first set, a kill by junior outside hitter Alicja Jaryszek trimmed Boise State's lead to 8-7. But the Broncos promptly used a 7-3 burst, punctuated by a Bartsch kill, to take a 15-10 advantage on the way to a 25-18 win
• Del Core staked the Rams to a 3-2 lead in the second set, but VCU watched as Boise State responded with an 8-2 blitz to push ahead 10-4. The Broncos would eventually expand their lead to 21-9 

NEXT UP
VCU will return home Sept. 6-7 for its own invitational at the Stuart C. Siegel Center. The Rams will open up the weekend on Friday, Sept. 6 against Virginia Tech at 6 p.m.