Atlantic 10 Conference Semifinal
Score: ##3 Loyola 3, #2 VCU (18-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-17)
Location: Dayton, Ohio (Frericks Center)
Records: VCU 19-8, Loyola Chicago 18-12
 
The short story: VCU freshman middle blocker Letizia Galli racked up 11 blocks, but it wasn't enough to hold off a charging Loyola Chicago squad in the Atlantic 10 Conference semifinals Saturday afternoon in Dayton.
 
OPENING VOLLEY

• Galli's career-high for blocks entering Saturday was six, but she picked up four in the opening set and continued her defensive assault throughout the afternoon
• Freshman outside hitter Lara Del Core blasted 13 kills to lead VCU, while hitting .296 with five digs and two blocks
• Junior opposite Julia Rienks added 12 kills and hit .381 with six blocks for the Rams, while sophomore libero Anja Kujundzic scooped up 22 digs and fired three aces
• VCU graduate middle blocker Jasmine Knight concluded her decorated career with a nine-kill, six block performance
• Anne Marie Remmes sparked the Ramblers with 14 kills

THE DIFFERENCE

• Remmes and Esma Ajanovic combined for 27 kills as Loyola hit .208 in the match on the way to victory
• VCU limited the Ramblers to a .027 attacking percentage in the first set, but Loyola Chicago stormed back to hit .244, .297 and .276 in the second, third and fourth, respectively
• The Ramblers served up 11 aces
• The match swung on a critical stretch in the second set. VCU led 24-23 and was on the verge of a potential two-set lead, but Ajanovic and Remmes sandwiched kills around a VCU hitting error to steal a 26-24 win
• VCU led the third 17-12, but Loyola ripped off an 11-2 run that included four kills and two aces by AJanovic to take a 23-19 lead on the way to a 25-21 triumph
• VCU racked up four blocks in the early going of set one, including three by freshman Letitzia Galli, on the way to a 19-9 lead and an eventual 25-18, wire-to-wire win

NOTABLE

• Knight finishes her VCU career with 1,253 kills and 516 blocks, both good for third in program in program history
• VCU entered Saturday's match on a 14-match win streak