Boxscore

RICHMOND, Va. – The University of Delaware volleyball team saw its five-match winning streak come to an end as the Blue Hens fell to the Virginia Commonwealth Rams, 3-0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-20), in a Colonial Athletic Association contest at the Alltel Pavilion on Friday night.

Delaware (12-14, 6-4 CAA) had won five matches in a row prior to the setback, including three straight in conference bouts. The victory was the third consecutive win for VCU (15-8, 7-2) and the team’s fifth straight in the CAA.

Freshman Kim Stewart (at right) led the Blue Hens with her fourth double-double on the season after posting 10 kills and digs. Fellow first-year standout Elena Delle Donne had a strong day as well, adding six kills without an error while also posting a pair of blocks.

The first set looked promising for the Blue Hens as the squad jumped out to a 9-5 lead after Delle Donne posted a pair of early kills and Greta Gibboney fired her first ace of the match. Despite the advantage, Delaware saw the Rams muscle their way back into the frame following a 10-3 run aided by four Blue Hen errors.

Now trailing 15-12, Delaware won two straight rallies before VCU answered with three in a row to extend its lead to 18-14. Although Stewart blasted three late kills, the Blue Hens could only muster four more points as the team dropped a 25-18 decision in the opening frame.

Delaware was unable to recover early in the second set as Virginia Commonwealth stormed out to a 6-0 lead that included back-to-back blocks by Mariel Frey and Kelsie Clegg. Still trailing by six at 11-5 despite another Gibboney ace, Delaware could not win back the momentum as the Rams extended their edge to nine at 15-6.

Although the Hens orchestrated a valiant effort in the waning moments of the set, the team could never overcome its early deficit. Stewart added a pair of kills and a block in Delaware’s final push, but another stuff by Clegg iced the 25-16 victory and gave the Rams a commanding two-sets-to-none lead heading into the mid-match break.

Reenergized during the intermission, the Blue Hens came out on a 4-2 roll in the third set following quick kills by Delle Donne, Stewart, Katie Dennehy, and Meghan Bonk. Unfortunately, VCU answered right back. Although Stewart added a pair of kills mid-way through the set, the Rams went on a 7-2 roll to grab a three-point lead at 9-6.

Seeing the game slip away, Delaware responded in-kind. After capitalizing on four VCU miscues and a pair of kills by Bonk, Steph Barry put on an impressive serving display, blasting three straight aces to give the Hens a 16-13 lead.

With momentum shifting, Virginia Commonwealth called a timeout and regrouped in the huddle. The Rams eventually orchestrated a seven-point run, including two kills and a block from Jessica Ojukwu, to retake the lead at 20-16. Although a kill by Stewart eventually halted the streak for a brief moment, the Rams won three straight rallies and five of the last eight to clinch the sweep with a 25-20 victory in the final frame.

For VCU, Ojuwku and Ariel Newman eventually finished with 10 kills apiece, while Cat Juson had a double-double with 20 assists and 10 digs.

Dennehy chipped in with seven digs and six kills for the Hens, while Barry and Gibboney combined to record all of the Hens’ five aces.

Delaware will look to bounce back when the team travels to Williamsburg, Va. for a 7 p.m. showdown with the William & Mary Tribe on Saturday.