VCU Volleyball rolled into Atlantic 10 play confidently and with a 10 match winning streak as an extra bonus. In their conference opener versus Rhode Island, VCU racked up another one in the win column as the Black & Gold cranked it to 11 against Rhody.
Can’t Handle Vicky G
Vicky Giommarini made her mark during the opening set for the Black & Gold. Giommarini was able to collect the opening kill and had her hands all over the volleyball during the opening rallies.
Alongside her in the kill count was Tori Baldwin and Jasmin Sneed as VCU started to gain an advantage over Rhode Island. A couple of errors by Rhody put the visiting Rams further into a hole as Set 1 continued. Things got worse for Rhode Island as the Black & Gold ignited a 7-0 scoring run.
The visitors would answer back while trailing 17-9; Rhode Island got back into the match scoring 6 straight points before Sneed killed their rally. Gina Tuzzolo came up huge with a pair of service aces to put VCU further in front.
VCU ended Set 1 with 3 straight points as Giommarini collected the opening victory with a cross-court kill. 25-18 for the home team as the Battle of the Rams got started inside the Stu.
Typical Rams vs. Rams Showdown
Set 2 was yet another war at the net between VCU and Rhode Island. Dajah Ard got things going with the service ace for VCU in the opening point; both teams from there traded kills and blocks between one another.
Rhode Island broke free with a 15-11 lead as VCU made a few costly errors. The Rams answered back when Rhody made an error of their own leading to two consecutive service aces for Rebekah Strange. Momentum stayed with VCU as Alicia Kandler and Jasmin Sneed made a tag team block to tie the game at 15 apiece.
More blocks were served by the Rams including a triple team block by Adler, Baldwin & Giommarini to keep VCU in Set 2. Baldwin added in another kill for the Black & Gold and assisted in a double block with Adler to add to VCU’s lead.
Kandler sent VCU into the locker room in high spirits with the game-winning kill. Set 2 ended 25-21 in favor of VCU as the Black & Gold doubled their set lead.
Rhody’s Errors, VCU’s Victory
Errors for Rhode Island continued to haunt the visitors in Set 3. The opening point saw Rhode Island’s service go straight into the net giving VCU the lead. Rhody was able to rebound with a 3 point rally as VCU attempted to get things going in the third.
In a tightly contested set, neither team was able to create a true advantage until later; both teams traded 3 point runs with the score still deadlocked at 13-13. VCU musted up another three-point run thanks to a Rhody service error, a kill by Sneed and a service ace by Strange.
As Rhode Island was building up a counter, VCU blocked their chances; multiple tag team blocks by the Black & Gold haltered Rhody’s hopes of a comeback. Kandler & Tuzzolo made it official with VCU’s last 3 kills to take Set 3 25-18.
A 3-0 sweep for VCU Volleyball over Rhode Island to begin Atlantic 10 play. With this win, VCU has won 11 consecutive matches and starts A-10 conference play at 1-0. Alicia Kandler led with a team-high 12 kills and 8 digs; Vicky Giommarini collected 8 kills on the night. Rebekah Strange and Gina Tuzzolo had 3 service aces each.
Next up for VCU Volleyball is another Battle of the Rams vs. Fordham. That Atlantic 10 match is on Sunday, September 24th at NOON inside the Siegel Center.
