Oakland, Mich. – The
Robert Morris University volleyball team fell to University of California, Irvine in straight sets in its opening match of the Golden Grizzly Invite this evening.
UC-Irvine (8-4, 0-0 Big West) held every statistical edge but one over Robert Morris (1-11, 0-0 NEC) in the teams' first meeting. The Colonials topped the Anteaters in digs, 49-41.
Freshman setter
Brianna Frakes collected her second straight double-double with 21 assists and 11 digs. Senior middle blocker
Becky Jay was the biggest recipient of those assists, as she led the team with seven kills on a .333 hitting percentage.
UC-Irvine jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the opening frame, but a service ace from Frakes and a block from sophomores
Arden Fisher and
Leah Dunivan knotted things up. RMU would take the lead at 9-8 with a kill from Dunivan, and again hold advantages at 14-13 and 15-14 behind two Fisher kills.
The Anteaters went back on top at 19-18 and forced a timeout after extending it to 21-19. Jay picked up two kills after the break, but UC-Irvine made it 23-21 to bring another 75 second stoppage. Two Anteater points were bookended by a block from Jay and Fisher, setting the final at 25-22.
Sophomore middle blocker
April Krivoniak picked up two kills in the second set, but UC-Irvine took it by a 25-16 score.
The Anteaters completed the sweep in the final frame, 25-11.
Fisher and senior libero
Melissa Bograd each tallied 11 digs. The sophomore outside hitter led the Colonials in service aces with three.
Robert Morris completes the non-conference tournament slate of its schedule tomorrow with two matches. The Colonials open up against invitational host Oakland at noon, then finish their day at 5:00 p.m. with Bowling Green.
