Moon Township, Pa. –
Robert Morris University volleyball senior
Melissa Bograd moved into sixth place in the program record book for digs in a career as the Colonials opened up Northeast Conference (NEC) play with a three-set sweep over Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Robert Morris (2-13, 1-0 NEC) used a balanced attack to topple Fairleigh Dickinson (2-12, 0-1 NEC) with four different players tallying eight or nine kills.
Bograd joined classmate
Erica Robb with a team-high 18 digs on the afternoon, increasing her career total to an even 1,300. The senior libero passed Lindsey Monger (2009-12) and Megan Bell (2002-05) in the record books.
The Colonials took an entertaining first set, 25-22, after being down as late as 20-19.
The Knights jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the frame, but two kills from sophomore middle blocker
Leah Dunivan halted the FDU momentum. RMU knotted things up at seven before taking its first lead of the set following an attack error and a service ace from senior middle blocker
Becky Jay.
A kill from senior outside hitter
Sydney Sizemore tied the set up at 19, but the Knights responded with a kill of their own to retake the lead. However, that advantage would be short-lived as RMU would pick up six of the next eight points to win the set. Dunivan tallied two kills in that stanza, while Jay and sophomore middle blocker
April Krivoniak added one each.
After falling in an early 4-1 hole, the Colonials stormed back to take the second set, 25-14.
RMU would draw even at four with kills from senior setter
Hannah Hoffman and sophomore outside hitter
Arden Fisher. FDU picked up the next point to go back up 5-4, but that would be the Knights' last lead of the set as the Colonials responded with a six-point run to force a timeout.
Fisher (4) and
Erica Robb (3) combined for half of RMU's 14 kills in the frame, while Dunivan stood out defensively with a solo block and three block assists.
The Colonials' resilience showed in the final set as they battled back from down 9-2 and 11-3 to complete the sweep, 25-23.
Following a RMU timeout, Fisher stopped the early bleeding with a kill to make it 9-3. FDU responded with two more points to take its largest lead of the set, but the Colonials benefited from a Knights attack error, two kills from Krivoniak, and an ace from Fisher to pull within four.
RMU trimmed the deficit to a single point six separate times, finally breaking through at 21-20 with a Sizemore kill. That advantage would not be relinquished as kills from Jay and Dunivan gave the Colonials the win.
Hoffman (21) and freshman setter
Brianna Frakes (19) combined for 40 of RMU's 43 assists on the afternoon. The Colonials hit at a .258 clip in the match.
Robert Morris is back in action tomorrow afternoon as it hosts Sacred Heart. First serve is set for 1:00 p.m. from the Charles L. Sewall Center.
