Box Score Moon Township, Pa. - The Robert Morris University women's volleyball team completed its final tune-up prior to the beginning of Northeast Conference competition with a match against Youngstown State on Tuesday evening.  In a losing effort, Arden Fisher (Oakmont, Pa. / Riverview) and Erica Robb (Novi, Mich. / Novi) each recorded a double-double.

Despite claiming the first set, Robert Morris (0-14) would drop three straight as Youngstown State (7-7) walked away with a four-set victory; 22-25, 26-24, 27-25, 25-18.

RMU would open up the match with a service ace from Hannah Hoffman (Parker, Colo. / Ponderosa) as the two teams would trade the first few points of the set.  The Colonials would then take four of a possible five points to open up a three-point advantage, 7-4.  Robert Morris would hold on to the lead they created for the duration of the set as the Colonials would not allow Youngstown State to tie up the score despite pulling within a point of RMU.  The Colonials would pull away for a short period of time with a five-point run that made the score 23-17.  After Youngstown State answered with a five-point run of its own, Robert Morris took the final two points of the set with kills from Becky Jay (Parma, Ohio / Padua Franciscan) and Fisher.  Robb and Fisher would each record a set-high five kills as the Colonials hit .303 as a team in the opening stanza. 

The second set would begin with the Colonials taking the first three points before the Penguins would tie the score, 4-4.  Robert Morris would fall behind after a three-point run by Youngstown State before rallying to tie the score, 11-11.  The two teams would continue to trade points until another three-point run by RMU gave the Colonials a two-point advantage, 17-15.  The advantage would be short for Robert Morris as Youngstown State would tie the score again, this time at 18-18.  The Colonials weren't ready to relinquish the lead however as they would go on another three-point run and push the score to 22-19.  Having two set points to close out the second frame, Robert Morris was unable to capitalize as Youngstown State first tied the set at 24-24 before continuing its four-point run en route to a 26-24 set victory.

Neither team would hold more than a two-point lead in the early stages of the third set before Youngstown State went on a four-point run that resulted in a score of 15-12 for the Penguins.  Robert Morris would battle back and after taking six of a possible seven points, the Colonials held a two-point advantage, 18-16.  Youngstown State would rally to tie the set, 18-18, before the two teams would go back to exchanging points.  The Penguins would take the set as they finished on a three-point run to make the score 27-25.

Despite allowing the first point in the fourth set, the Colonials would take a 3-1 lead early before Youngstown State tied the score, 7-7, after a four-point run.  Robert Morris would take the next two points but the Penguins would answer with a second four-point run to take the lead back, 11-9.  Youngstown State would not relinquish the lead for the remainder of the set as the Penguins pushed their lead to six points after a five-point run, 19-13.  Although the Colonials would desperately try to push for a fifth set, Youngstown State earned the final three points to close the match with a 25-18 score in the final set.

Fisher would lead the offensive attack for the Colonials with 16 kills while Robb would add 15 kills as the duo combined for 31 of the team's 51 kills in the match.  Melissa Bograd (Lemont, Ill. / Lemont) and Fisher would each record a match-high 17 digs while Robb would contribute 14 digs on the defensive side for Robert Morris.

The Colonials will hit the road to begin Northeast Conference play as Robert Morris opens up the 2013 NEC campaign with a match at Fairleigh Dickinson on Saturday at 1:00 p.m.  RMU will then head to Sacred Heart for a 1:00 p.m. match on Sunday afternoon.