Box Score Fairfield, Conn. - The Robert Morris University volleyball team took the opening game of its match against Northeast Conference (NEC) unbeaten Sacred Heart, but the Pioneers came back to win the next three and came away with a 3-1 victory Sunday afternoon at the Pitt Center.
Despite the setback, Robert Morris remains alone in second place in the NEC standings with a 4-2 mark.
The Colonials continued their season-long trend of posting impressive blocking performances as Robert Morris collected a season-high 17 against the Pioneers. It was the most blocks recorded by RMU in a match since Oct. 21, 2006 when the Colonials also notched 17 at Saint Francis (Pa.). RMU still has only been outblocked by one opponent this season.
Senior captain Amanda Graham (Melbourne, Fla. / Eau Gallie) registered her second career double-digit dig performance in as many days as she reestablished her career high with 14, while also collecting a match-high seven blocks, five kills and three service aces. With her three aces, Graham moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Colonials' all-time list with 121 career aces.
Sophomore opposite Amanda Craig (Houston, Texas / St. Agnes Academy) led RMU with a team-high nine kills and added four blocks while junior Hannah Veith (Columbus, Ohio / Worthington) added six blocks, including a match-high four solo rejections.
The teams split the first 14 points of game one, but Robert Morris took five of the next six rallies to open up a 12-8 advantage. The Colonials maintained their lead throughout the middle portions of the game and extended it to as many as six before Sacred Heart mounted a comeback. The Pioneers pulled within one, 23-22, but Veith provided a kill and a block in the next three points to put the first game in RMU's column.
Sacred Heart took five of the first six points in game two and pushed its lead to seven at 13-6. The teams split the next eight points before the Colonials came storming back. Robert Morris went on a 9-3 run, aided by a kill and two blocks from senior Addie Jennings (Santa Barbara, Calif. / Dos Pueblos) and two aces from sophomore Andrea Catucci (Davidsonville, Md. / Archbishop Spalding), to pull within one, 20-19. The Pioneers settled themselves by taking the next three points and held on for a three-point win to even the match.
Robert Morris and Sacred Heart traded mini-runs early in game three, splitting the first 18 points. Sacred Heart then went on a 5-1 run to take a four-point lead, 14-10. The squads were dead even over the next 14 points and the Pioneers held a 21-17 lead entering the final stretch. RMU fought back, taking four of the next five, to square the game, 22-22. After Sacred Heart won two of the next three, it earned a game point. RMU not only saved the Pioneer game point but took back-to-back points to earn its own game point. Sacred Heart recovered and proceeded to collect kills on each of the next three exchanges to take a 2-1 edge in games.
The Colonials held the lead early in the fourth game and took a three-point advantage after 17 points. Sacred Heart came back to take the lead by claiming six of the next seven points and led 13-11. After RMU knotted the game at 15, the Pioneers won four consecutive points to take control of the game. Robert Morris cut the lead to two, 20-18, but the Colonials were able to get no closer as the Sacred Heart pulled out the match with a six-point victory.
For the third straight match, Robert Morris had three players reach double figures in digs. Sophomore Lindsey Monger (Rising Sun, Md. / Rising Sun) led the Colonials with a team season-high 19 digs, tying her career high and the match high, while reaching double digits in digs for the fourth consecutive match.
Robert Morris will look to get back in the win column Wednesday, Oct. 13, with a mid-week NEC match against in-state rival Saint Francis (Pa.). First serve is set for 7:00 p.m.
