VCU CHARGES TO 2-0 START BEHIND FREY
8-28-09
Tournament Central

RICHMOND, Va. – Junior Mariel Frey (Lititz, Pa.) (pictured, above) enjoyed her best day as a collegian, averaging  3.89 kills and 3.11 digs to spark Virginia Commonwealth University to a pair of victories Friday at the Third Degree Sportswear Invitational at the Stuart C. Siegel Center.

Frey, who hit .234 on the day, provided 17 kills in the Rams’ season-opener, a 3-2 victory over Temple. In VCU’s nightcap, a 3-1 dismantling of Big East powerhouse St. John’s, she logged her second double-double of the day.

The Black & Gold also received a big days from senior Ivana Rich (Cumberland, Va.) and junior Kelsie Clegg (Boise, Idaho), who each averaged 2.22 kills per set.

VCU returns to action with two matches Saturday in the final day of the Third Degree Sportswear Invitational. The Rams meet Wright State at 12:30 p.m., followed by East Carolina at 6 p.m.

MATCH RECAPS
VCU 3, Temple 2 (25-19, 25-27, 19-25, 25-18, 15-12)
VCU rallied from a 2-1 deficit to defeat Temple in the season opener for both schools. Frey registered two kills in the decisive fifth set, including the match clincher, to rescue the Rams from a disastrous third frame.

After the Owls edged the Rams in a back-and-forth second set, VCU hit .000 in the third on the way to a 25-19 loss to fall behind, 2-1. However, the Rams emerged red hot in the fourth, and hit .342 on the strength of four kills apiece from Rich and freshman Kristin Boyd (Wilmington, N.C.). 

The fifth set featured nine ties and five lead changes, but the Black and Gold went ahead for good when back-to-back kills by Rich and freshman Marisa Low (Carlsbad, Calif.) pushed VCU to a 13-11 lead.

Junior Lenka Melicharkova (Zlin, Czech Republic) added 50 assists, nine digs and six kills for the Rams while Rich contributed 13 kills, six blocks and hit .524. Frey totaled 17 kills, 17 digs, three aces and three blocks.

VCU 3, St. John’s 1 (19-25, 25-14, 25-19, 25-12)
VCU struggled early, hitting an unsightly -.057 on the way to a 25-19 loss in the first set.  However, the Rams hit .337 in the final three frames to win going away.
Frey ripped a career-best 18 kills and hit .375 with 11 digs. After a first set in which she hit .077 in 13 attempts, Frey closed the match on a .519 clip and recorded one hitting error.

Sophomore Courtney Hott (Fredericksburg, Va.), Clegg and Rich all recorded seven total blocks for VCU, which out-blocked the Red Storm (0-2), 14-6.

OTHER SCORES
Wright State 3, East Carolina 2
East Carolina 3, St. John’s 1
Wright State 3, Temple 1