Moon Township, Pa.
– The postseason begins this weekend for the
Robert Morris University volleyball team, when they take on Bryant in the semifinal round of the Northeast Conference Tournament on Saturday, Nov. 21 at 6:30 p.m. in the Steinberg Wellness Center on the campus of LIU Brooklyn in Brooklyn, N.Y. The winner of Saturday's match will take on the winner of the No. 1/No. 4 seed matchup between regular season champion LIU Brooklyn and Sacred Heart in the conference championship match on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 4 p.m. The winner of the conference tournament title receives an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament in Omaha, Neb.
Heading into the postseason, Robert Morris (17-12, 11-3) is riding a season-best five-match winning streak. The Colonials capped the regular season with wins over Bryant (19-13, 10-4) and Central Connecticut State last weekend. RMU secured a second-place finish in the league standings and the No. 2 seed in the conference tournament, while Bryant enters as the No. 3 seed. A trio of RMU teammates captured a total of three weekly awards from the conference to close the regular season, including
Arden Fisher (NEC Co-Defensive Player of the Week),
Taylor Lord (NEC Rookie of the Week) and
Kristin Thompson (NEC Player of the Week).
Robert Morris versus the Field
BRYANT | November 21 | 6:30 p.m.The Colonials are 11-4 all-time versus the Bulldogs, including 1-1 this season.
LIU BROOKLYN | November 22 | 4:00 p.m.The Colonials trail the Blackbirds, 8-21, in the all-time record, but are 1-1 versus LIU this season, including a 3-0 victory in Brooklyn.
OR
SACRED HEART | November 22 | 4:00 p.m.The Colonials lead the Pioneers in the all-time series, 15-7, including 1-1 in 2015.
A Historic RunRobert Morris is appearing in its 17
th consecutive NEC Tournament, extending the conference's longest active streak. In the last 17 seasons, the Colonials have posted a winning record in league play; the longest such streak of any NEC member, past or present. Over that time span, RMU has gone 154-36 in conference action.
Senior Send OffLone senior
Kristin Thompson closed out her regular-season career with a team-leading 17 kills in last weekend's win over
CCSU and a career-high six digs versus Bryant. She earned her first-ever NEC Player of the Week title for her performance.
Thompson closes her four-year campaign with the Colonials ranked in the top 10 in individual career solo blocks, block assists, total blocks and blocks per set. She ranks second on the team in kills and total blocks and leads the conference in overall hitting percentage (.347) and hitting percentage in league play (.389).
On a RollThree-time NEC Rookie of the Week
Taylor Lord received the conference nod twice in the last two weeks. The two-time Gatorade West Virginia Volleyball Player of the Year out of Musselman High School has recorded five double-doubles in six matches and has posted double-digit kills in her last six outings. The rookie ranks first on the team in serve receptions and service aces, second in digs and third in kills.
Where They Stack UpRobert Morris checks in at No. 9 in the country in digs per set (17.50) and 25
th nationally in team digs (1,907). The Colonials rank No. 1 in the Northeast Conference in digs per set (17.50). Additionally,
Kristin Thompson paces the NEC in hitting percentage (.347),
Brianna Frakes is tops in assists per set (8.95) and
Leah Dunivan ranks first in the conference in blocks per set (1.19).
Double TroubleFive Colonials have registered multiple double-doubles this season:
Arden Fisher (17 season, 39 career),
Brianna Frakes (6
season, 13 career)
April Krivoniak (5 season, 10 career),
Taylor Lord (7 career) and
Liz Campbell (2 career).
1,000 ClubIn RMU's 1-3 loss to Bryant on October 17, junior
Arden Fisher eclipsed 1,000 career digs. She is the seventh player in Colonials history to reach that benchmark and now ranks sixth all-time in career digs (1,193). She is five shy of moving into fifth place on the all-time list.
Follow RMU volleyball on
Facebook,
Instagram and
Twitter
