ST. LOUIS –  The Saint Louis University volleyball team (12-13, 5-8) got back in the win column at home Saturday afternoon, picking up a victory in a three-set sweep of Rhode Island.
 
An 8-0 run in the opening set got the Billikens off to a hot start in the critical Atantic-10 Conference match, and was too much for the visiting Rams to recover from. SLU hit .200 in the first set of the match with 12 kills and three service aces while coasting to a 25-17 lead. 
 
The momentum shifted in favor of Rhode Island to start set two, as the Rams were looking for their second conference victory of the season. The visiting team took a 6-2 lead to start, but the Billikens found their footing midway through the match, rattling off five-straight points to take back the lead (14-10). The Rams re-ignited their own scoring for several points, but were stopped short by Emily Henken's second service ace of the day. Three-straight service aces from Carlie Rodgers and a kill from Jillian Mattingly helped solidify the Billikens 25-15 win in the set two. 
 
With their fourth sweep of the season on the line, the Billikens carried their momentum over to set three. Courtesy of three early service aces from Addy Polk to match her career high, the Billikens jumped out to an early 9-3 lead. SLU kept its foot on the gas, extending its lead 17-6 off a Henken kill. Minutes later on a 5-0 run, Lyon's second service ace of the day eclipsed the Billikens season-high in the category with 13. Rhode Island showed life, answering with a 4-0 run of their own to bring the score to 21-10, in favor of the Billikens, but SLU secured the dominate set three, 25-13, capped off by a 3-0 run. 
 
Henken's 10 kills on .348 hitting led the way in the Saturday match, while Mattingly's four blocks bolstered the Billikens' defensive efforts.
 
The Billikens finish off their weekend series against Rhode Island Sunday at 12 p.m. Attendees to the noon match will receive free entry to the SLU men's basketball exhibition against Berea College at 2 p.m.