ST. LOUIS – Third-seeded Dayton took used decisive first and fourth sets to beat No. 6 VCU, 3-1 Friday afternoon in the Atlantic 10 Volleyball Championship quarterfinals at Chaifetz Pavilion.
 
The Flyers (19-13) advance to the A-10 semifinals Saturday and will play No. 2 Davidson at 4:30 pm ET / 3:30 pm CT. 
 
Lexie Almodovar and Amelia Moore both hit over .300 for UD, tallying 30 kills between them, with Almodovar recording 17 while hitting .318 and Moore registering 13 kills and five blocks, hitting .478. Taylor Russell added 11 kills and also had five blocks. Alayana finished with six blocks.
 
Dayton won 25-18, 25-21, 20-25 and 25-16, opening the match with a strong first-set performance. Almodovar gave the Flyers a one-point lead that they never lost, despite VCU remaining within striking distance. Set two was more tightly contested, with the teams trading points until the end of the match when a pair of Almodovar kills put Dayton up 2-0.
 
The Rams were in control in set three, scoring seven of the first nine points to build a lead. Dayton got within one on a Moore kill, but four straight points by VCU, highlighted by kills from Qairo Bentley and Parker Hartzell opened the lead back up and the Rams closed out the set. Dayton scored eight straight points early in set four, building a significant lead that VCU tried to chip away at, but only got as close as two on a Benltey ace at 17-15. But UD socred eight of the next nine points to close out the match.
 
Kialah Jefferson led VCU with 13 kills and Hartzell had 10 while hitting .304. Crew Hoffmeier recorded 16 digs.