Score: Duquesne 3, VCU 2 (25-18, 20-25, 25-22, 15-25, 15-8)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 3-7 (1-1 Atlantic 10), Duquesne 9-4 (1-1)
The short story: VCU senior
Alicja Jaryszek spiked a match-high 22 kills, but it wasn't enough to hold off plucky Duquesne Saturday afternoon in a five-set thriller at the Siegel Center.
OPENING VOLLEY
- Jaryszek hit .688 in the match, ringing up 22 kills – her most in a VCU uniform – on 38 attempts. She added five digs and a block
- Senior Julia Rienks added 18 kills, eight digs and five blocks for the Rams
- VCU was also backed by 12 kills from sophomore Lara Del Core, as well as nine kills and five blocks by classmate Letizia Galli
- On the back row, VCU graduate libero Haruka Sugimoto provided 17 digs and seven assists
- Emersen Schrom led the Dukes for the second straight night with 18 kills and 17 digs
THE DIFFERENCE
- Duquesne hit .435 and never trailed in the fifth-set tiebreaker. Schrom supplied four kills on eight swings in the frame, including three in the early going as the Dukes built a 9-5 lead
- The Dukes hit .281 on the way to a 25-22 win the third. Schrom teamed with Jordan Robertson on a double block that swung the set in favor of Duquesne, 20-19. Schrom added two more kills down the stretch as the Dukes pulled away
- Rienks and Jaryszek combined for seven of VCU's 17 kills in the fourth, as the Rams hit .353 on the way to an equalizing, 25-15 triumph
- Duquesne recorded a .279 hitting mark in the match and outblocked VCU 8 to 6.5
NOTABLE
Sugimoto needs 12 digs to reach 2,000 in her collegiate career
NEXT UP
VCU will host Davidson at the Siegel Center on Tuesday, Sept. 30 at 5 p.m.
