Loretto, Pa. – The
Robert Morris University volleyball team kept its unbeaten record in Northeast Conference (NEC) play intact this evening, as it knocked off in-state rival Saint Francis University in five sets.
Robert Morris (6-13, 5-0 NEC) came back from dropping the first and third sets of the match to Saint Francis U. (7-12, 3-2 NEC) to earn its third consecutive five-set victory.
Sophomore outside hitter
Arden Fisher posted her eighth double-double of the season as she tallied 15 kills and 21 digs. Her classmate
Madelyn Betts enjoyed an efficient evening, hitting at a .500 clip with 12 kills.
Defensively, RMU received strong performances from middle blockers
April Krivoniak and
Kristin Thompson. Krivoniak tied a career-high with seven blocks (1 solo, 6 assist), while
Kristin Thompson added five block assists. Senior libero
Melissa Bograd collected 20 digs; her sixth match this season in which she has at least reached that number.
The Red Flash took the first set, 25-23. Bograd picked up nine of her 20 digs in this frame, but SFU battled back from a 22-19 deficit to earn the set.
The Colonials responded with a victory in the second frame, 25-23. It was RMU who made a furious comeback this time around, as it came back from 18-12 behind four kills from Fisher.
The third set went the Red Flash's way with a 25-20 win. SFU never trailed in this set, holding an advantage as large as eight points before coming away with the victory.
With the pressure on, the Colonials forced a fifth set thanks to a dominant 25-14 win. Betts stared in this frame, tallying half of her kills on the night, while Thompson chipped in with four kills and three block assists.
RMU completed the comeback with a 15-12 victory in the deciding frame. Betts picked up four kills in the set as the Colonials finished off the match with a Krivoniak kill.
Setters
Hannah Hoffman (35) and
Brianna Frakes (18) combined to dish out 53 assists. Senior outside hitter
Erica Robb contributed defensively with a season-high 19 digs.
Robert Morris returns to the non-conference slate of its schedule tomorrow afternoon as it plays NJIT. Opening serve between the Colonials and Highlanders is set for 2:00 p.m. from the Estelle and Zoom Fleisher Athletic Center.
