Moon Township, Pa. – The
Robert Morris University volleyball team continued its recent hot streak on Northeast Conference (NEC) opening weekends, as it defeated Sacred Heart University in its second consecutive three-set victory this afternoon.
Robert Morris (3-13, 2-0 NEC) improves to 13-1 in the first weekend of NEC play since 2008.
Like yesterday's match against Fairleigh Dickinson, the Colonials used a balanced attack to knock off Sacred Heart (5-9, 0-2 NEC) as four different players had six kills or more.
Senior outside hitter
Erica Robb finished one kill shy of a double-double after collecting 12 digs on the afternoon.
RMU took the first set, 25-19, after taking the lead for good at 15-14. The Pioneers didn't help themselves in the frame as they registered 10 attack errors.
The Colonials picked up their first advantage of the set after a four-point rally that featured a kill from sophomore outside hitter
Arden Fisher and a service ace from senior middle blocker
Becky Jay. SHU took five of the next six points to go back up top, but RMU inched back with another four-point run ignited by a Fisher kill.
The Pioneers battled back to make it a one-point game at 17-16, but the Colonials answered with seven consecutive points to ultimately seal the set. Senior setter
Hannah Hoffman's kill put the finishing touches on the frame, as she fooled the SHU defense and placed her attack between multiple Pioneers.
RMU extended its lead with a 25-20 win in the second set. Fisher tallied 10 of her team-high 22 digs in the frame.
The Colonials went on two separate three-point rallies in the set, both of which included a service ace and a block. A block from Jay and Robb at 4-2 followed an ace from senior libero
Melissa Bograd, while the sophomore duo of Krivoniak and
Leah Dunivan picked up a block preceded a service ace from freshman setter
Brianna Frakes at 11-9.
The final frame saw RMU close out the match with a 25-22 win, thanks in large part to 8.5 total blocks. Four different Colonials tallied at least three block assists in the closing stanza.
Jay spearheaded an early five-point run with a kill, a solo block, and a block assist. She later teamed up with Fisher for another block to make it 13-8 RMU.
The Pioneers inched back from a five-point deficit, pulling within a single tally five different times with the most recent being at 19-18. SHU again battled back from five points down at 24-22, but the Colonials sealed the victory following a timeout with a block from Krivoniak and Dunivan.
SHU actually held an advantage in kills (43 to 37), but RMU dominated up front with 11.5 total team blocks to the Pioneers' one. Jay finished the match with six blocks (1 solo, 5 assist).
Frakes (14) and Hoffman (12) split time at setter, combining for 26 of the team's 34 assists.
Robert Morris begins a five-match road trip this coming weekend at Central Connecticut State. The Colonials will play the Blue Devils on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 1:00 p.m. from Detrick Gymnasium.
