Brooklyn, N.Y. – The
Robert Morris University volleyball team fell short of its first Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament championship since 2003 as the Colonials lost in straight sets to LIU Brooklyn this afternoon from the Steinberg Wellness Center.
In its first NEC title game appearance since 2010, Robert Morris (15-17, 12-2 NEC) couldn't find a groove offensively as LIU Brooklyn (25-6, 14-0 NEC) held the Colonials to a .079 hitting percentage.
Senior middle blocker
Becky Jay collected three block assists in her final match, breaking the program's all-time total block record. Jay finishes her career with 463 total blocks, three more than the previous record holder Kristie Tuxford (1992-95).
Jay's classmate
Melissa Bograd collected 12 digs this afternoon to finish her career with 1,582. Bograd fell one shy of tying Darcy Thompson (2001-04) for third in that category.
The Blackbirds won 25-20 in the first set. RMU took an early lead and held that advantage until 8-7 as LIU tallied four consecutive points to take control of the frame. All-NEC honorees
Arden Fisher and
Kristin Thompson each connected on three swings, while Bograd nabbed five digs in the stanza.
Jay broke the record in the middle of the second set as her and Fisher rose up to stop an attack from Annika Foit. The Blackbirds would end up taking the frame, 25-16.
LIU continued to ride its wave of momentum in the final stanza, jumping out in front 13-5. The Colonials showed some resilience behind sophomore middle blocker
April Krivoniak as her four kills sparked an 8-2 rally to cut the Blackbird lead to 15-13. However, LIU would respond with a seven consecutive points to put the match out of reach.
Jay and Bograd were named to the All-NEC Tournament Team following the contest. The veteran middle blocker hit .310 for the tournament with 14 kills and nine block assists, while the senior libero collected 26 digs and dished out three assists in two matches.
Robert Morris extended the conference's longest active streak of NEC Tournament appearances to 16 in 2014 and finishes the campaign with an overall record of 15-17. The Colonials say goodbye to seven seniors –
Melissa Bograd,
Alena Esposito,
Hannah Hoffman,
Becky Jay,
Erica Robb,
Sydney Sizemore, and
Breanna Surgot – who compiled a conference mark of 43-17 in four seasons donning the blue and white with red.
