Baltimore, Md. – The Robert Morris University volleyball secured a 2-0 match lead, but Winthrop claimed the next three sets, and the Colonials fell to the Eagles, 17-25, 20-25, 29-27, 25-18, 17-15, Friday afternoon in RMU's opening match of the Maddie Bingaman Memorial Tournament, hosted by UMBC.

Senior outside hitter Arden Fisher led the way with her seventh double-double in seven matches on a team-leading 16 kills and 32 digs. She added a season-high three service aces and five block assists. Senior opposite April Krivoniak earned her first double-double of the year with 10 kills and 12 digs. Sophomore middle Brianna Schmid joined the senior duo in double-digit kills with 10. Senior middle Leah Dunivan posted nine kills and paced the squad with seven total blocks.

Robert Morris (4-4) went up 3-1 in the fifth set on three Eagles errors, but Winthrop (4-4) knotted the score on two Colonials miscues, and it quickly became apparent that neither team would win the match without grinding out points to the very end.

The Colonials claimed the next three points with the help of a kill from Fisher and a sophomore Allie Yurkovich ace, which forced Winthrop to call timeout. Just as RMU rolled to a 10-7 lead, Winthrop went on a six-point run, which turned the score in favor of the Eagles, 13-10. Robert Morris regrouped and went on a 4-1 run to tie the set at 14 all.

Winthrop went ahead, 15-14, but the Colonials evened things up once more on a timely kill from Fisher. But back-to-back kills from Winthrop senior middle blocker Brianna Gray helped the Eagles to victory.

The Colonials stuck with the Eagles from the start of the first three sets, but Winthrop set the tone in the fourth frame and opened on an 8-2 tear. The Eagles amassed a nine-point lead at 14-5, which put the Colonials in tough position to recover. Robert Morris persevered, and managed to cut the Winthrop lead to four on a Fisher kill at 20-16. The Eagles outscored the Colonials, 5-2, in the remainder of the frame to secure the set and force a fifth.

The teams were neck and neck early on in set three, until Winthrop widened the gap with a 7-1 run to a 19-13 advantage.

The Colonials carried a 2-0 match lead into set three after capturing the first two frames, 25-17 and 25-20.

Tomorrow, the Colonials continue tournament action against Morgan State at 12:30 p.m. and UMBC at 3 p.m.
 
 
TRENDING
Senior Arden Fisher has posted double-doubles in all seven matches played on the season thus far. Her streak of seven 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 was named Molten/NEC Player of the Week, and currently leads all of NCAA Division I in digs per set (6.16).
 
MILESTONE WATCH
Head coach Dale Starr is four wins shy of his 100^th career victory as head coach of the Robert Morris volleyball program, and eight victories short of his 200^th career win at the Division I level.

 
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