MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- Junior outside hitter
Taylor Lord got her own personal homecoming, and some
Robert Morris volleyball team reserves got valuable experience in a straight-set (10-25, 23-25, 15-25), non-conference loss at West Virginia University Tuesday evening.
The Inwood, West Virginia native and erstwhile two-time state champion and Gatorade Player of the Year at Musselman H.S. featured in two sets, finishing with three kills, a pair of digs and a .938 receiving percentage. She has 16 kills and 27 digs lifetime against the Mountaineers (15-9, 3-7).
RMU faced the tall task of confronting a battle-tested WVU squad that had already faced three nationally-ranked opponents in Big 12 play, including, most recently, a sweep on the road at the hands of No. 3 Texas. The Colonials (13-14, 7-4) return home with their own conference ambitions still afloat, as they sit just one game off the NEC lead and remain on pace for their 18th conference tournament berth in 19 years.
Head coach
Dale Starr used the last scheduled non-conference fray of the season to work 12 different players into his lineup. Local products
Caroline Bain (Oakland Catholic H.S.) and
Whitney Brown (Avonworth H.S.) appeared in multiple sets, with Brown chipping in six assists and a service ace and matching
Allie Yurkovich's team-high five digs.
Both are members of an eight-player freshman class that is, along with the 2014 newcomers, the most voluminous one Starr has coached at Robert Morris, as is middle blocker
Skylar Clements. The 6'3" Mountain Vista H.S. standout, who hails from Starr's native Colorado and has recorded three match points this season, led the Colonials with a .286 attack average.
Another of those NCAA novices, Week 5
Molten/NEC Rookie of the Week honoree
Alyson Londot, continued her fine freshman campaign by pacing the RMU offense with nine kills and an ace while making four digs and receiving at a .900 clip.
The Colonials host Saint Francis University Friday, leading the Red Flash by a game for the last NEC Tournament berth and having already defeated them in a four-set contest Sept. 22.
First serve from the North Athletic Complex is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
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