Loretto, Pa. – A slow start in set one and persistence from Saint Francis U did not faze the Robert Morris University volleyball team, as the Colonials claimed sets two, three and five to secure a 3-2 victory over the Red Flash Friday night in DeGol Arena.
 
RMU (13-15, 7-5) is still on track to earn a chance for a spot in the 2016 Northeast Conference Tournament.
 
Senior Arden Fisher led the Colonials past the Red Flash with her 19^th double-double on the season with 19 kills and 23 digs. Sophomore middle Brianna Schmid turned in her second straight double-digit kill performance with 10. Senior April Krivoniak added nine kills, 10 digs, and a team-leading three aces. Senior Leah Dunivan tabbed a career-high 10 total blocks.
 
In set five, Robert Morris and Saint Francis U (5-20, 1-10) traded points back and forth all the way to a 9-9 tie. Back-to-back kills from junior outside hitter Deja Tamlin and Fisher sparked a six-point surge straight to 15, capped by a Krivoniak ace to seal the deal for the Colonials.
 
The Red Flash went on an 8-3 tear to close the fourth set at 25-21 and force a fifth.
 
Robert Morris eased to a pair of 25-12 wins in sets two and three to go up, 2-1, in the match. The Colonials tallied 23 kills during those two frames, and limited the Red Flash to 13, as well as a negative hitting percentage in the second frame and a .000 clip in the third. RMU paces the NEC in opponent hitting percentage (.165).
 
The Colonials got off to a slow start in set one, and dropped the opening frame to the Red Flash, 25-23.
 
Robert Morris continues its quest to an 18^th straight trip to the NEC Tournament in its final weekend of regular season action on Nov. 12 against St. Francis Brooklyn at 1 p.m., and Nov. 13 versus LIU Brooklyn at 3 p.m.
 
 
The Final Countdown
Robert Morris faces a must-win situation in its final two matches of the regular season for a chance to earn a spot in the 2016 Northeast Conference Tournament.
 
Success Under Starr
The Colonials posted their best overall winning percentage (.594) under head coach Dale Starr last season. Starr claimed his 100^th victory as head coach of the Robert Morris volleyball program with a win against St. Francis Brooklyn on Oct. 8, and his 200^th career win overall at the Division I level on Oct. 29 versus FDU.
 
National Radar
Senior Arden Fisher currently ranks No. 10 in the nation in digs per set (5.27) after spending the first two weeks at number one, and sixth in total digs (548). She is the only top-25 national digs leader that plays at the outside hitter position. As a team, Robert Morris ranks ninth in the nation in digs per set (17.38) and leads the NEC in the same category.
 
Trending
Senior Molten/NEC Defensive Player of the Week Arden Fisher has posted a double-double in 19 of 26 matches played this season, and has recorded double-digit digs in all but two matches on the year. Her streak of 11 matches with a double-double to start a season marks the longest season-opening streak in Robert Morris history dating back to 2003. She leads the Colonials in kills (324) and digs (548).
 
A Historic Run
Robert Morris qualified for its 17th consecutive NEC Tournament last year, 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 158-41 in conference play.
 
 
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