Volleyball | 10/12/2017 2:12:00 PM
MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The
Robert Morris University volleyball team will try to bounce back from a pair of tough losses when it visits NEC front-runner Bryant University for a 6:00 p.m. first serve at the Chace Athletic Center Friday. The Colonials will conclude their string of four conference road matches at Central Connecticut State University Saturday, with first serve in that contest coming from Detrick Gymnasium at 4:00 p.m.
RMU seeks its first win over Bryant since a 3-1 decision Nov. 21, 2015 in the semifinal round of the NEC Tournament at LIU Brooklyn's Steinberg Wellness Center en route to the tournament championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. This mirrored a 3-1 victory at the Sewall Center one week prior. The Colonials, on the other hand, were triumphant in their most recent visit to New Britain, Conn., a 3-1 result on Oct. 22, 2016. They have won five of their last six meetings with CCSU.
Friday, Oct. 13 at Bryant (6:00 p.m.)
Saturday, Oct. 14 at Central Connecticut (4:00 p.m.)
COMPLETE NOTES PACKAGE: Robert Morris at Bryant and Central Connecticut (10/13/17-10/14/17)
Last Time Out
Robert Morris rallied to tie defending NEC Tournament champion and preseason favorite LIU Brooklyn, but it couldn't quite hang on, falling 3-2 (24-26, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 13-15) to the host Blackbirds last Friday. Among the positives to be accentuated was the play of erstwhile Molten/NEC Rookie of the Week
Alyson Londot, who finished with a double-double of ten digs and a season-high 17 kills, adding a personal-best 19.5 points. The Colonials were subsequently upset by St. Francis Brooklyn, 3-1 (16-25, 25-18, 18-25, 26-28), last Saturday. Junior outside hitter
Taylor Lord led RMU with her seventh double-double of 2017 (13 kills, 11 digs).
Senior Superlatives
Londot wasn't the only bright spot in defeat at LIU Brooklyn. Fellow outside hitter
Deja Tamlin set new season highs in digs (five), kills (ten) and points (11.0) while playing all five sets, adding her second assist of the year.
Scouting the Opponents
Bryant (14-8, 5-0) has won 12 of its last 14 matches overall, including three straight, to take the outright NEC standings lead. Furthermore, the Bulldogs have won all eight home matches in that span. Junior outside hitter Julia Flynn, known for having made a number of national highlight-reel plays, ranks seventh in the conference with 3.13 kills per set. She averaged 3.78 kills and 2.22 digs per set in wins at FDU and Sacred Heart Oct. 6-7.
Central Connecticut (10-6, 3-2), since bowing at Bryant, 3-1, on Sept. 29, has rebounded with consecutive wins at Sacred Heart and FDU, 3-2 and 3-1, respectively. Freshman middle hitter Eline van Heijningen, the reigning NEC Rookie of the Week, made a season-best seven kills and seven blocks for the Blue Devils against SHU. Senior middle blocker Maddie Smith, meanwhile, leads the conference in hitting percentage (.396) and blocks (1.41/set).
About Robert Morris
The Colonials were predicted to finish in fifth place in the 2017 NEC Preseason Coaches' Poll. RMU missed qualifying for its 18th consecutive NEC Tournament by just one game last season. In each of the last 18 seasons, the Colonials have posted a winning record in league competition, which stands as the longest such streak of any NEC member, past or present.
MUSKET SHOTS
Hit Me with Your Best Shot
Robert Morris, a famously strong defensive team over the years, has been putting up impressive numbers offensively this season. RMU leads the NEC with a .198 team hitting percentage. The match at Central Connecticut, in particular, presents an interesting confrontation between the aforementioned Maddie Smith and Colonials middle blocker
Emma Granger, a three-time NEC Rookie of the Week who ranks second in the NEC behind Smith with a .358 attacking clip. Local product
Maria Alfano is also having a nice first year alongside Granger, coming in seventh at .263.
A Taylor-Made Double Play
If you believe history repeats, you might want to keep an eye on
Taylor Lord this weekend, especially when the Colonials collide with Bryant. When last those teams met in Smithfield Oct. 23, 2016, Lord led RMU with a double-double of 14 digs and 21 kills--at the time, a career high. That career high stood alone until the early stages of this season, when Lord matched it with 21 kills at Youngstown State Aug. 29. Lord is coming off back-to-back double-doubles, including a 20-kill, 22-dig effort at LIU Brooklyn Oct. 6.
Ace in the Hole
In addition to her run-of-play prowess, Granger has shown herself to be the biggest threat in
Dale Starr's service rotation. The Dalton, Ohio native leads the team and conference with 38 service aces, putting her tied for sixth in Division I in that category. Granger has registered five aces in a match four separate times, most recently in a straight-sets victory over Fairleigh Dickinson Sept. 30.
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