Toledo, Ohio – Despite promising starts to each match Friday, the Robert Morris University volleyball team dropped a five-set affair to Toledo and was swept by Cleveland State on opening day of the Blue/Gold Invitational at Savage Arena in Toledo, Ohio.

Robert Morris (5-7) opened the first set versus Toledo (2-9) with a 7-1 run and set the tone early in the match. The Colonials captured set one, but a back-and-forth second set ended in favor of the Rockets. RMU responded in set three by way of a narrow 25-21 win to take a 2-1 match lead, but the Colonials started to slip in the fourth. They fell behind early, 6-0, and later allowed the Rockets to earn 10-straight points and create a deficit from which RMU would never recover. Robert Morris allowed Toledo to surge ahead in the final set and at one point trailed, 11-4, before one of eight Colonials service errors provided the Rockets with match point.

Junior Arden Fisher tabbed her sixth double-double (18 kills, 12 digs) of the season and 28^th of her career in the 3-2 loss. Freshman libero Allie Yurkovich anchored the back row with 16 digs, while junior Leah Dunivan protected the net, as she posted a season-high three solo blocks and three block assists.

In the second match of the day, RMU stuck with Cleveland State (10-3) through two close sets. The Colonials strung together a four-point surge in the middle of the first frame to tie the score at 11, but traded points with the Vikings throughout the remainder of the set before falling, 25-19. RMU kept it close in the second as well, only to fall by five, but Cleveland State nearly ran away with the third to secure the shutout victory. The Colonials' swings were silenced by the nation's leading blocking unit, as the Vikings out-blocked RMU, 9-4, and held Robert Morris to a .151 hitting percentage.

Freshman Taylor Lord and senior Kristin Thompson paced the Colonials with nine kills apiece, a career high for the rookie outside hitter. Thompson continues to hit at a high efficiency, as she posted a .412 clip and leads the team with a .294 mark on the season. Fisher and Yurkovich teamed up for a combined 23 digs and freshman Liz Campbell dished out 26 assists.

The Colonials conclude non-conference tournament action for the year on day two of the Blue/Gold Invitational with a match against Radford on Saturday, Sept. 19 at 11 a.m.

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