Bowling Green, Ohio - Sept. 11, 2009 - The Robert Morris University Colonials dropped their fourth straight match on Friday to the Northern Iowa Panthers, 3-1, at Anderson Arena. The Colonials started off the match winning set one 25-23, but the Panthers rallied back to win the next three sets (25-11, 25-18, 25-19) for the match victory.
Set one started with the Panthers and Colonials trading points. Robert Morris took the lead off a service ace from freshman Amanda Craig (Houston, Tex. / St. Agnes Academy). A kill by junior Jaye Hellmich (Costa Mesa, Calif. / Estancia) and an attack error by the Panthers gave the Colonials a 4-1 lead. Northern Iowa tallied a couple of points off kills from Shannon Aschoff to knot the score 5-5, but Hellmich put down her third kill of the set to take back the lead 6-5. The remainder of the set remained within one or two points the entire time. With the score tied at 23-23 Craig found a hole in the block for her third kill of the set and then Northern Iowa's Shannon Aschoff fired a ball out of bounce to give RMU the 25-23 win.
The Panthers entered set two with a lot of energy and started things off on an 8-0 run with Bre Payton tallying three service aces in the process. Robert Morris was finally able to side-out after a service error by Payton, but was never able to get back into the set. The set ended with Northern Iowa winning 25-11, giving each team one set a piece.
The Colonials started off on a stronger note in the third set and traded side-outs with the Panthers for several points. However, at 5-5 the Panthers went on a four point run to bring the score to 9-5 and they did not relinquish the lead for the remainder of play. The Panthers took set three 25-18, but junior Corinne Moser (Meyersdale, Pa. / Meyersdale) led all players with nine digs.
Northern Iowa tallied 18 kills to RMU's eight in the fourth set to win 25-19 and earn the match triumph. The set started with a hard shot by RMU's Lindsey Monger (Rising Sun, Md. / Rising Sun) that landed for a kill and a 1-0 lead for the Colonials. However, Northern Iowa's Karsten Kali tallied three kills in a row to bring the score to 3-1 in the Panther's favor. Sophomore setter Alyssa Bennett (Ramona, Calif. / Ramona) responded with a kill to bring the score within one, but the Panthers earned a string of points to record a commanding 10-4 lead. However, at 11-7 RMU libero Moser went on a four point serving run to bring the score within one at 11-10. Unfortunately, the Panthers were able to pull away again for the match win.
Craig, Monger, Hellmich and sophomore Hannah Veith (Columbus, Ohio / Worthington) all finished the match with six kills each and Hellmich led the squad with five blocks. Bennett registered four kills on a team high .444 hitting percentage and added 24 assists and three blocks. Moser finished with a team high 13 digs and Craig contributed the team's only two service aces.
The Colonials return to action tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. to take on Wisconsin-Green Bay.
