Rams blank JMU 3-0

The VCU volleyball team (6-2 CAA, 14-8) came into Saturday night looking to move up the CAA standings. James Madison (4-5, 11-15) came to town looking to pull an upset and move up the rankings as well. It was the Rams that ended up victorious with a 3-0 victory over the Dukes Saturday night at the Siegel Center.

In the first game the Rams came out firing.

After a return error by the Dukes’ Michelle Johnson, the Rams held a 7-1 lead, and did not relent after that.

Senior outside hitter Elisa Kuehnel (Dresden, Germany/Sportsgymnasium) had four kills in Game 1 to lead the Rams to a 25-16.

After winning Game 1 the team hoped its athletic and energetic play would carry over.

JMU took to the court with some revenge on their mind.
The Dukes quickly got on top 7-5 in Game 2, when VCU coach James Finley called a timeout.

“One of the things our team has been working on is not getting rattled when the other team makes a run,” Finley said.

After the timeout the Rams stormed back, gaining the lead 16-11. Thanks to the same intensity that helped them win the first set, the Rams claimed another victory, 25-15.

With a 2-0 lead in the match both teams headed to the locker room.

The Rams did not disappoint their fans in Game 3.

In the closest game of the match, both the Dukes and the Rams were neck-and-neck.

With the score 25-24, the Rams came up with one of their top plays of the match.

After a Lenka Melicharkova set (Zlin, Czech Republic), Kuehnel finished off the Dukes with a spike to the middle of the JMU set.

It was her 10th kill of the match and it sealed the victory for the Rams, 26-24.

Kuehnel and Ivana Rich (Cumberland/Cumberland) led the team with 10 kills and were helped by seven kills from Jessica Ojukwu (Sao Paulo, Brazil/Colegio Dourado).

Freshman Holly Wall had the team lead for JMU with a match-high 17 kills, and Michelle Johnson had six.

With the win, the Rams have now won four out of five matches. With seven remaining, they find themselves in a tie for second in the CAA.