New Britain, Conn. – The
Robert Morris University volleyball team improved to 3-0 in Northeast Conference play as it defeated Central Connecticut State University in five sets, 3-2, this afternoon from Detrick Gymnasium.
Robert Morris (4-13, 3-0 NEC) received double-doubles from senior middle blocker
Becky Jay and sophomore outside hitter
Arden Fisher in the victory. Jay collected 11 kills and a career-high 11 blocks (3 solo, 8 assist), while Fisher added 11 kills and 17 digs.
Jay has now tallied double-digit blocks three times in her career, two of those instances coming against Central Connecticut State (5-9, 1-1 NEC).
Sophomore middle blocker
Leah Dunivan tallied team-high 13 kills on a .370 hitting percentage. The Colonials as a whole totaled 18.0 total team blocks, with six block assists coming from senior outside hitter
Sydney Sizemore and five each from Dunivan and fellow sophomore
April Krivoniak.
RMU jumped out to an early lead by winning the first set, 27-25. The frame featured a balanced effort for the Colonials as four different players tallied at least three kills.
The second set also went to RMU by the score of 25-16. Dunivan did most of her damage in this frame, collecting six kills on just seven attempts.
The Blue Devils bounced back with a 25-17 victory in a must-win third set. CCSU followed that up with a close 25-23 win in the fourth frame, despite three blocks (1 solo, 2 assist) from Jay.
RMU opened up the deciding set with a block from Krivoniak and junior
Kristin Thompson, riding the momentum from that play to a 5-1 start before the Blue Devils called a timeout. Following the break, service aces from seniors
Melissa Bograd and
Hannah Hoffman forced CCSU to burn another timeout at 10-4. From there, the two teams traded points before Fisher sealed the victory with a kill.
Hoffman (19) and freshman
Brianna Frakes (29) split time at setter as the duo combined to dish out 48 assists.
Robert Morris will look for its second consecutive weekend sweep tomorrow afternoon as it takes on Bryant. Opening serve is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. from the Chace Athletic Center.
