Box Score Tournament: VCU Invitational
Score: VCU 3, ETSU 2 (14-25, 30-28, 16-25, 25-16, 15-13)
Location: Richmond, Va. (Siegel Center)
Records: VCU 1-2, ETSU 0-4
 
The short story: Senior middle blocker Nina Boledovicova and sophomore outside hitter Lannah Price combined for 28 kills to spark VCU to a thrilling, five-set comeback win over East Tennessee State Friday night at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Price racked up 14 kills, eight digs, two aces and a block while hitting .238 for the Black and Gold
• Boledovicova, hot off an All-Tournament selection last weekend in Florida, blasted 14 kills and hit .400 on the night. She added a pair of blocks
• Senior outside hitter Gabby LaPata also supplied 10 kills and hit .320 on 25 swings for the Rams, while junior libero Kayla Foley scooped up a career-high 27 digs
• Makayla Bays sparked the Buccaneers with a match-high 18 kills and 20 digs

THE DIFFERENCE

• Boledovicova rang up five kills on nine attempts in the fifth set tiebreaker alone to help put VCU over the top. The fifth featured 10 ties and four lead changes, but a kill and an ace by Boledovicova on back-to-back plays provided the Rams with a 13-12 lead. Two plays later, freshman outside hitter Dominika Kasinska capped a wild final rally with a right-hand smash
• VCU came alive in the fourth and fifth sets, hitting a combined .310 in the final two frames, both victories, to steal the win
• Defensively, the Black and Gold held ETSU to a .119 hitting percentage in the fourth and fifth, combined
• The Rams staved off near-disaster in the second set, rallying from an 18-14 deficit on the way to a marathon 30-28 win. VCU fought off four set points before a block by LaPata and junior middle block Letizia Galli clinched the victory
• VCU outblocked the Bucs 8-7 and owned a 71-66 advantage in digs. After a slow start, the Rams hit .234 overall in the match

NEXT UP
VCU will host Virginia on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. at the Siegel Center. That contest will serve as the Rams' SupportHer Match, and will be presented by Synergy Technical.