Saint Louis Billikens Athletics

KINGSTON, R.I. – Saint Louis battled back from a two-set deficit to defeat Rhode Island 3-2 on Thursday evening inside Keaney Gymnasium.

The Billikens improved to 17-11 overall and 12-5 in Atlantic 10 play, marking their most conference wins in a season since 2009.

SET 1 | SLU 20, URI 25
Rhode Island jumped out to an early 6-0 lead before extending its advantage to 10-4. The Billikens began to chip away at the deficit, using a 4-0 run to close the gap to 13-11. Saint Louis continued to battle, pulling within one at 16-15, but the Rams responded with a 4-1 run to regain control at 20-16. SLU fought off one set point before Rhode Island claimed the opening set.

SET 2 | SLU 21, URI 25
The Billikens took their first lead of the second set at 5-4 before extending their advantage to 10-6. Rhode Island responded with a 4-0 run to even the score at 11-11. The teams traded points throughout the middle of the set before Saint Louis built a 19-16 lead. The Rams answered with four consecutive points to take a 20-19 advantage and closed the set on a 9-2 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match.

SET 3 | SLU 25, URI 13
Saint Louis came out firing in the third set, opening on a 6-0 run behind four service aces from Tamia Maddox. The Billikens continued to build on their lead, extending the advantage to 14-3 before using a 5-0 run to push ahead 19-4. SLU maintained control throughout the remainder of the set, hitting .318 while recording 11 service aces to force a fourth set.

SET 4 | SLU 25, URI 19
The teams battled back and forth to open the fourth set before Rhode Island took a 13-10 lead. Saint Louis responded with a 3-0 run to even the score at 13-13. The Billikens later used a 5-0 run to turn a 15-14 deficit into a 19-15 advantage. SLU continued to pull away, extending its lead to 22-16 before a block from Kayla Jansen and Anna Boatner secured the set and forced a decisive fifth.

SET 5 | SLU 15, URI 10
After trading points to open the final set, the Billikens used a 3-0 run to take a 6-3 lead. Saint Louis extended its advantage to 10-5 before Rhode Island responded with three consecutive points to cut the deficit to two. SLU answered with a 4-0 run, highlighted by back-to-back kills from Maddox and a service ace from Ellie Rink, to reach match point at 14-8. The Rams fought off two match points before the Billikens completed the reverse sweep.

Notables

• Ellie Rink led the Billikens with 17 kills, hitting .341 while adding 10 digs and three service aces for a double-double.
• Tea Kalajdzic recorded 12 kills, four service aces and five blocks.
• Anna Boatner finished with 10 kills on a .333 hitting percentage while adding eight blocks.
• Kayla Jansen led the Billikens at the net with nine blocks, including four solo blocks, while adding four kills.
• Jetta Brenning recorded a double-double with 38 assists and 17 digs.
• Tamia Maddox added nine kills, 11 digs and four service aces.
• Lara Zigic finished with 14 digs and three service aces.
• Saint Louis recorded 17 team blocks, tying its season high
• The Billikens' 14 service aces marked a season high.