PITTSBURGH - The Duquesne University volleyball team defeated Rhode Island in Atlantic 10 play on Friday night at the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in four sets. Duquesne (10-8, 5-5 A-10) had three players with double-digit kills led by graduate student Morgan Gish with 16 alongside sophomores Carsyn Henschen (14) and Ariel Helm (12).

Gish paired her team-leading 16 kills with 11 digs for her seventh double-double of the season, while adding four blocks at the net. Chloe Wilmot finished with a match-high 46 assists and had 12 digs, her seventh match with over 45 assists and eighth double-double of her freshman campaign.

Helm also posted a match-high eight blocks to lead a defense that had 22 from six different players. On the offensive end, she swung an .857 in 14 attacks, her most efficient night of the season.

The Dukes trailed Rhode Island (3-19, 0-10 A-10) 24-21 at one point in the third set, but they went on to score six unanswered points to win the match. Helm recorded three kills in the rally and senior Camille Spencer served an ace for the clinching point, as the Dukes won 26-24. 

Duquesne took the first set by a 25-19 score. Six Dukes recorded a kill in the first set, with Helm's four leading the team. The Dukes went on an 8-1 run midway through to give themselves a 17-9 lead and never looked back. Henschen slammed three kills during the run and Helm had two. 

The Rams used a late comeback for a 25-20 victory in set two. Duquesne led late, 20-16, but Rams stormed back with nine straight points to even the match at a set apiece. Rhode Island boasted a .409 hit rate to Duquesne's .074 in the second frame.

DU answered back with a match-high .583 hit rate in the third set, leading to a 25-15 win for a 2-1 lead. Henschen led the Dukes with six kills. Wilmot recorded an assist on every Duquesne kill except one, which she recorded herself. 

After a 4-3 start in favor of URI, the Dukes played from behind the entire fourth set until the late rally to win it, despite leading the set in kills, hit rate and blocks.

UP NEXT
The two sides will reconvene inside the UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse on Saturday at 4 pm for a rematch. 

FOLLOW THE DUKES
For the latest news and updates for Duquesne volleyball, follow @DuqVB on Twitter (X) and Instagram.