Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Robert Morris University volleyball team dropped two matches to close the Panther Challenge at the University of Pittsburgh, as the Colonials fell to Western Kentucky, 3-0, and Pitt, 3-0, Saturday in the Fitzgerald Field House.

The Colonials have now concluded the preseason tournament portion of the 2016 schedule and now look ahead to Northeast Conference action.

Senior outside hitter Arden Fisher paced the Colonials with eight kills and seven digs against Pitt, and was named to the Panther Challenge All-Tournament Team. Senior April Krivoniak added four kills and three digs. Both senior Leah Dunivan and junior Brianna Frakes tallied two blocks, including a solo effort from Frakes.

Trailing 2-0 after a strong first two frames from Pitt (9-3), Robert Morris (6-8) set a new tone to start the third, when they opened the set with an ace from junior Schaely Renfrew. RMU gained an early 3-2 lead, but Pitt responded with a 10-3 run to claim a 12-6 advantage. The Colonials called their second timeout of the game to halt a persistent Panthers surge, and came out of the break to score the next two points.

A big block from Dunivan and junior Deja Tamlin cut the Pitt lead to seven, 20-13, and fueled the squad with a palpable energy, but the Panthers held the Colonials to just two more points for the remainder of the match and cleared their path to victory.

The Panthers opened the second set with a strong, 9-1 lead, but back-to-back Fisher kills provided a spark for the Colonials, who scored three of the next four points to reduce the Pitt advantage to six. RMU continued to chip away at the Pitt lead, and tallied three consecutive points with help from Dunivan and Tamlin kills, but the Panthers closed the set with five points in a row and held RMU to its lowest set score in a match on the season, 25-9.

Both teams traded points back and forth early, but Pitt gained some momentum from a 5-0 streak that put them ahead, 14-9. The Colonials called timeout to try and halt a 6-1 Panthers run, and Krivoniak recorded a kill following the break, but Pitt scored five of the next six points to capture a 1-0 match lead.

In Robert Morris' first match of the day against Western Kentucky (12-2), Krivoniak and Fisher each recorded five kills and one service ace apiece. Fisher anchored the back row with 10 digs, and added one block assist. Dunivan chipped in with a kill and two blocks.

Robert Morris tied the score twice early in the third, but Western Kentucky took a six-point lead on a five-point run, and did not trail the entire set. Krivoniak sent a shot down the line to bring the Colonials within three, 16-13, but the Hilltoppers remained aggressive while RMU committed untimely errors and fell to WKU, 25-16.

Set two was neck and neck to start, but Robert Morris started to widen the gap midway through. The Colonials used a three-point run to go ahead, 16-14. Western Kentucky scored 11 of the next 13 points to claim the set, 25-18.  

The Hilltoppers opened set one on a 9-1 run. Following a Colonials timeout, Robert Morris came out of the break with confidence and tied the score at 13. Fisher and Tamlin combined for a block to earn the first lead of the frame for RMU at 14-13. The two teams traded leads back and forth and knotted the score six times until Western Kentucky went on a 6-2 tear and pulled ahead, 23-20. The Colonials staved off two Hilltoppers set points before WKU secured the set, 25-23, and the 1-0 match lead.

The defending NEC champion Colonials begin the pursuit to protect their title as Robert Morris opens league play on Saturday, Sept. 24 against Central Connecticut and Sunday, Sept. 25 versus Bryant. Both matches are scheduled for a 3 p.m. start in the Sewall Center.
 
 
TRENDING
Senior Arden Fisher has posted double-doubles in 11 of 13 matches played on the season thus far. Her streak of 11 matches with a double-double to start a season marks the longest season-opening streak  in Robert Morris history since Megan Bell in 2004 (seven). Fisher currently ranks second nationally in digs per set (5.95).
 
MILESTONE WATCH
Head coach Dale Starr is two wins shy of his 100^th career victory as head coach of the Robert Morris volleyball program, and six victories short of his 200^th career win at the Division I level.

 
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