Tournament: VCU Invitational
Score: VCU 3, Winthrop 0 (25-16, 25-22, 25-22)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 1-3, Winthrop 2-2
 
The short story: The VCU trio of Jasmine Knight, Alicja Jaryszek and Lara Del Core combined for 38 kills to power the Rams to their first win of the season Saturday night at the Siegel Center.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Knight and Jaryszek each blasted a match-high 13 kills for the Black and Gold. Knight was nearly flawless, hitting .500 without an error, while Jaryszek wasn't far behind, converting at a .440 rate on 25 swings. Knight also supplied three blocks
• Freshman Lara Del Core enjoyed the best night of her young VCU career, spiking 12 kills, while hitting .409
• Freshman setter Abby Edwards kept the VCU offense humming with 36 assists, while sophomore libero Anja Kujundzic chipped in 18 digs and an ace
• Avery Jolley paced Winthrop with nine kills 

THE DIFFERENCE

• VCU hit a season-high .312 in the match, while also limiting the Eagles to a .162 mark
• The Rams also owned a 51-36 advantage in digs, as well as a 5-2 edge in blocks
• The Black and Gold took command of the match in the second set, when the Rams used a 5-0 burst, punctuated by a Jaryszek kill, to snap a 17-all tie. VCU would eventually claim the set 25-22
• The third set featured 11 ties and six lead changes, but the Rams got a late kill from Del Core and an ace by Kujundzic to open up a 24-21 lead on the way to a match-clinching 25-21 victory 

NEXT UP
VCU will head up I-95 to Piscataway, N.J. for a pair of matches. The Rams will face Binghamton on Friday, Sept. 13, followed by a Sept. 14 contest at Rutgers. Both matches will be played at Rutgers' Jersey Mike's Arena.