1The University of Rhode Island volleyball team beat Virginia Commonwealth University and Davidson College last weekend to extend its winning streak to nine games.
The Rams played VCU on Friday and won 3-1.  It didn’t come easy, though. Rhode Island took control early on by winning the first two sets of the match, 25-18 and 25-14, respectively.  VCU avoided the sweep and won the third set, 25-21.
“I think we were a little complacent after the second game,†said head coach Bob Schneck. “We beat them up pretty good in the first two games and [our team] thought that [VCU] was just going to roll over and they didn’t.â€
The fourth and final set was hard fought by both teams. It was tied for most of the set until Rhode Island was able to put the game away on two final kills from senior Franki Darnold, winning the final set 28-26.
“We have to play like us,†Darnold said. “We can’t be timid because they pick up on stuff like that so we have to play as hard as we can.
Looking forward to the second game of the weekend Darnold said the team was looking to improve upon “making a little less errors on our side, playing smart, and digging more balls when we see it.â€
Sunday night, Davidson came to town to take on the Rams. Rhode Island took an early lead in the game taking the first set with a score of 25-13 shortly before taking the second one 25-14. Davidson took the lead early in the third set before Rhode Island came back and completed the sweep, 25-22.
“You can’t sit back in volleyball. You have to have three good games not two good games,†said Schneck.
With the two wins over the weekend, the Rams remain undefeated at home this season. Rhode Island will begin a two-game road trip on Friday visiting Saint Louis University and the University of Dayton before returning home on Oct. 9 to face La Salle University.