PHILADELPHIA – La Salle picked up a Senior Day win on Sunday, defeating Rhode Island in four sets to remain undefeated. Its unblemished record means that the Explorers remain atop the Atlantic 10 East standings, ahead of Fordham at 2-0. 
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The teams were fairly even to begin the contest. Rhode Island started stronger with a 6-3 lead, but a 9-2 run from the Explorers put the home team back in front. The Rams responded with a jaunt of their own to tie the set at 15-15, after which they remained locked with La Salle until 19-19.  A six-point swing for the Blue & Gold handed it the first frame.
• Rhode Island held the advantage for the entirety of the second set. A 3-0 start grew to a 9-4 edge, after which the Rams' lead was never less than four. They tallied nine of the final 12 points to take the set.
• The third frame was decisive in this match as the teams vied for the upper hand. La Salle battled to a 13-10 lead, answered by five points from Rhode Island. Thus began a pattern where the Explorers would fight back and tie, only for the visitors to inch away. 
• This was the case when La Salle, down 23-20, recorded two kills from junior Elizabeth Osborn and a service ace from freshman Yaiza Franco to even the score. The Rams earned match point, but two tallies from the Explorers put them on the precipice of taking the set. Rhode Island tied it at 25-25, only for La Salle to respond with a kill from senior Reilly Lowe and a block from Lowe and sophomore Sydney Stone to award the Explorers with the valuable third set.
• Rhode Island rushed out to a 5-1 start in the fourth frame, which the Blue & Gold responded to with an 11-5 run. With the match at 12-10 in favor of the hosts, the lead changed four times afterwards, culminating in a 17-15 edge for the Explorers. The visitors battled back to tie the game at 21-21, 22-22 and 23-23, but a kill and an ace from Franco sealed the victory for La Salle.

 INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Senior Day Successes: La Salle's victory on Sunday continues a recent trend of winning on Senior Day. The Explorers have not lost when honoring their graduating class since 2016.
• Senior spotlight: Lowe led all players with five blocks against the Rams. She also finished with seven kills.

• Redshirt sophomore setter Sarah Nahas had herself an all-around day, recording a career-high six kills to go with 36 assists, 12 digs, two blocks and two aces. 
• Franco had the best of game of her career with nine kills on .333 hitting, 12 digs, four aces and a block. The Minnesota native came up in the clutch, tallying the Explorers final three points of the fourth set.
• Leading all player in kills was Osborn, who finished with 15. La Salle's number 11 also recorded 10 digs to give her another double double this campaign.
• Running the defensive side of things was freshman Isa Lopez. The Texan tallies 26 digs to only one receiving error. She also made her mark on offense with four assists and two aces.
• Stone had her second strong match of the weekend with nine kills, four aces and seven digs.
• As a team, La Salle dominated on the serve, amassing 12 aces to Rhode Island's five. The Blue & Gold also held the edge in kills (47-43), assists (43-40) and digs (69-60).

UP NEXT

• In a battle for the top spot in the A-10 East, the Explorers travel to Fordham on Wednesday. They face the Rams in three of their next four games.