Fairfield, Conn. – Following their first Northeast Conference victory of the season, the Robert Morris University volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to Sacred Heart Sunday afternoon in the William H. Pitt Center.
 
Senior April Krivoniak led the Colonials with nine kills at a .368 clip and three block assists. Senior Leah Dunivan added eight kills and two total blocks. Sophomore outside Taylor Lord recorded 11 digs and three blocks. Sophomore Liz Campbell tabbed 19 assists.
 
"We didn't do too much very well tonight," admitted head coach Dale Starr. "When we followed the game plan, we were able to score. We weren't able to get into any kind of rhythm. They served us tough, and we didn't respond very well. It's back to the drawing board to see if we can find something inside ourselves that will motivate us to compete at a higher level."
 
Robert Morris (7-12, 1-3 NEC) trailed Sacred Heart (11-6, 4-0 NEC) 2-0 in the match heading into the third set, and the Pioneers continued to charge ahead, as they opened the final frame on an 8-3 run. The Colonials brought the Pioneers streak to a brief pause on a kill from Dunivan, but Sacred Heart remained persistent and gradually widened the gap. SHU eventually claimed the 3-0 match victory when they stole the third set by 14 points, 25-11.
 
Set two was a back and forth affair, as neither team led by more than five at any point. Consecutive kills from Fisher and Krivoniak brought the Colonials within two, 23-21, but the Pioneers scored the next two points to go up, 2-0, in the match.
 
RMU put together a promising 7-2 run in the middle of the first set to reach within five points of the Pioneers, 17-12, but to no avail. Robert Morris scored four of the final six points in the set, but Sacred Heart was already well on its way to a 1-0 lead.
 
Robert Morris returns to the Sewall Center this weekend to host St. Francis Brooklyn on Saturday, Oct. 8 at 7 p.m. and LIU Brooklyn on Sunday, Oct. 9 at 5 p.m.
 
 
National Radar
Senior Arden Fisher currently ranks No. 15 in the nation in digs per set (5.20) after spending the first two weeks at number one. As a team, Robert Morris ranks eighth in the nation in digs per set (17.47).
 
Success Under Starr
The Colonials posted their best overall winning percentage (.594) under head coach Dale Starr last season. Starr is one win shy of his 100th victory as head coach of the Robert Morris volleyball program and five victories short of his 200^th career win at the Division I level.
 
 
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