Box Score Score: VCU 3, Davidson 2 (25-22, 22-25, 21-25, 25-15, 15-11)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Stuart C. Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 4-7 (2-1 Atlantic 10), Davidson 5-8 (0-3)
The short story: Senior
Julia Rienks powered VCU behind a career-best performance, and graduate libero
Haruka Sugimoto reached the 2,000-career dig plateau as the Rams rallied past Davidson Tuesday night at the Siegel Center.
OPENING VOLLEY
- Rienks was virtually unstoppable Tuesday. The outside hitter from the Netherlands blasted a career-best 29 kills – the most by a Ram in 12 years. She added three blocks and seven digs
- Sugimoto, meanwhile, dug 16 balls to reach 2,000 for her collegiate career, which has also included stops at Stetson and Central Wyoming. She entered the match with 1,988 career digs
- Freshman Sarah Dibbs-Frantz and senior Alicja Jaryszek added 14 kills apiece for the Black and Gold. Dibbs-Frantz, who enjoyed her best night in a VCU uniform, added eight blocks and hit .591 on 22 attempts
- Sophomore setter Cansin Sendir kept the VCU offense in sync with 54 assists. She also registered 12 digs and seven blocks
- Mia Compas led Davidson with 19 kills
THE DIFFERENCE
- VCU trailed 2-1 in the match, but ramped up its defense on the way to victory. The Rams held the Wildcats to an .091 hitting mark in the fourth frame, a 25-15 win, and a .000 percentage in the fifth-set tiebreaker, a 15-11 Rams' triumph
- Davidson closed to within 12-11 in the fifth set, but Rienks answered with her 29th kill of the night on the next play, and an attack error by Davidson on the ensuing rally pushed the Rams within set point. Dibbs-Frantz promptly finished off the win with a kill
- VCU owned a 14-dig advantage (67-53) in the match and rang up 15 blocks to Davidson's 10
NOTABLE
- Rienks' 29 kills are the most by a Ram since Romana Kriskova recorded 29 against William & Mary on Oct. 22, 2013. In 2007, Belinda Behncke-Biney also spiked 29 for the Black and Gold. Those are the highest totals by a VCU player since Laureen Bidi blasted a school-record 41 on Oct. 5, 2002 at UNC Wilmington
- VCU has won five straight matches against Davidson and improved to 26-4 all-time against the Wildcats
NEXT UP
VCU will hit the road for a pair of conference matches at Saint Louis Oct. 3-4. Friday's match will get underway at 7 p.m. (EST).
