Score: VCU 3, Loyola Chicago 2 (12-25, 25-17, 25-15, 17-25, 15-13)
Location: Chicago, Ill. (Gentile Arena)
Records: VCU 3-6 (1-0 A10), Loyola Chicago 3-8 (0-1)
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The short story: Senior middle blocker
Nina Boledovicova blasted a match-high 17 kills and VCU overcame a slow start to capture its first Atlantic 10 Conference win of the season Friday night in Chicago.
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OPENING VOLLEY
- Loyola had few answers for Boledovicova. The VCU senior hit .519 on 27 swings and added four blocks
- Junior outside hitter Lara Del Core supplied 14 kills and five blocks to the VCU cause
- Freshman middle blocker Dominika Kasinska enjoyed one of her best nights as a Ram, supplying 12 kills and seven digs, while hitting .385
- Junior setter Cansin Senir directed the VCU offense with 45 assists, as well as 13 digs and three aces
- Katie Scherer led the Ramblers with 14 kills
THE DIFFERENCE
- Back-to-back double blocks by Del Core and junior middle blocker Letizia Galli gave the Rams a 10-8 advantage in the fifth-set tiebreaker. While Loyola would rally to tie the score at 10-10, 12-12 and 13-13, VCU would not trail again. Boledovicova hammered a kill for a 14-13 VCU advantage, and a mishandled set by the Ramblers on the ensuing rally clinched a victory for the Black and Gold
- VCU fell behind 1-0 as Loyola Chicago dominated the first set 25-12. But the Rams answered by hitting a combined .328 in the second and third frame on the way to convincing wins
- The Rams hit .316 in the fifth-set tiebreaker and .204 overall on the evening
- VCU owned a 54-48 edge in digs
NOTABLE
- Sendir recorded the 1,000th assist of her VCU career in the match
- Friday's contest was the first between VCU and Loyola since the 2026 Atlantic 10 Championship Match, a nailbiting, 3-2 Loyola Chicago victoryÂ
NEXT UP
VCU and Loyola Chicago will return to the floor on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m. (EST) at Gentile Arena.
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