Volleyball | 11/16/2017 12:37:00 AM

BROOKLYN, N.Y. -- The Robert Morris University volleyball team faces defending champion LIU Brooklyn in the Northeast Conference Tournament Semifinal Friday, with first serve at the Steinberg Wellness Center in Brooklyn, New York scheduled for 3:30 p.m. The winner advances to the NEC Tournament Final match Saturday in Brooklyn at 3:00 p.m. to play the winner of the 6:00 p.m. Friday semifinal match between Bryant and Central Connecticut.

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RMU is the fourth seed in this year's NEC Volleyball Tournament, having qualifed for the postseason for the 18th time in the past 19 seasons. LIU Brooklyn shared the regular-season conference crown with Bryant and CCSU but earned the top seed and tournament hosting privilege by virtue of tiebreakers. The Bulldogs are seeded second and the Blue Devils third.

The Colonials were edged by the host Blackbirds, 3-2 (24-26, 23-25, 25-21, 25-23, 13-15), on Oct. 6, but they avenged that defeat with a 3-1 (25-23, 23-25, 25-23, 25-20) triumph at the North Athletic Complex Oct. 20.

In their most recent postseason meeting, Robert Morris upset top-seeded LIU, 3-1 (21-25, 31-29, 25-14, 25-23), on Nov. 22, 2015 for the eighth NEC Tournament title in program history en route to its sixth-ever NCAA Tournament appearance. The winner of the 2017 NEC Tournament will advance to this year's NCAA Tournament, which begins with first-round play Dec. 1-3.

In their most recent postseason meeting with Bryant, the Colonials defeated the Bulldogs, 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-13, 25-22), in the NEC Semifinal Nov. 21, 2015, setting the stage for that championship victory over LIU. Robert Morris leads the all-time series, 12-8.

RMU is 3-1 all-time versus CCSU in NEC Tournament play, with its most recent win coming in straight sets (30-18, 30-24, 30-21) in the tournament final Nov. 23, 2003. The Colonials also lead that all-time series, 22-13.

COMPLETE NOTES PACKAGE: Robert Morris at the NEC Tournament (11/17/17-11/18/17)

Last Time Out
Robert Morris concluded its regular season at home with a straight-set loss to Bryant last Friday, followed by a narrow 3-2 defeat at the hands of Central Connecticut at the North Athletic Complex Saturday. Erika Wilt made a match-high 14 digs for RMU versus Bryant. Taylor Lord had 17 kills to lead the Colonials against CCSU.

Scouting The Opponents
LIU Brooklyn (18-9, 11-3) has won four of the last five NEC Tournaments. Junior outside hitter Nina Petranovic had a pair of double-doubles last weekend, averaging 3.75 kills and 3.25 digs per set over two wins that enabled LIU to host the tournament for the fifth time in six years. Bryant (21-11, 11-3) seeks its first-ever tournament championship. Junior outside hitter Julia Flynn averaged 3.5 kills and 4.2 digs in two road wins over RMU and SFU last weekend. CCSU (18-7, 11-3), which swept the NEC weekly awards once again, also seeks its first tournament title. Rookie of the Week Samantha McCreath had 17 kills and 23 digs at RMU last Saturday.

About Robert Morris
RMU, picked fifth in the preseason coaches' poll, has won six NEC regular-season championships, including four straight 2001-04. The Colonials have also won eight NEC Tournaments, including five straight 1999-2003 and their most recent crown, in 2015. Robert Morris, additionally, has made six NCAA Tournament trips.

MUSKET SHOTS

It's Been A Pleasure To Serve You
Four-time Molten/NEC Rookie of the Week Emma Granger has emerged as the biggest threat in this year's revamped RMU service rotation. Granger finished third in Division I with 60 aces. Robert Morris, as a team, tied for fourth nationally with 1.77 aces per set, thanks in large part to the Dalton (Ohio) H.S. standout. On Nov. 3 she finished with six aces, four in the opening frame alone, versus SFU. She is the eighth different Robert Morris player to complete a match with at least that many and just the third Colonial to do it twice. Granger now shares the Robert Morris single-season record for aces with Kristie Tuxford (60 in 1995) and Darcey Miller (60 in 2004). This week, First Team All-NEC honors were bestowed upon her, making her the only freshman on this year's team. In addition, Granger was named NEC Rookie of the Year, making her the first RMU recipient of the award since Alyssa Bennett in 2008 and just the fourth all-time. Eight different players have now combined for 15 First- and Second-Team All-NEC selections under head coach Dale Starr.

Pure Michigan
Outside hitter Deja Tamlin and setter Brianna Frakes comprise the Colonials' senior class. Tamlin averaged 1.23 kills and 0.49 blocks per set and accounted for 1.48 points per set, her best such numbers in any single season. Tamlin registered a season-best ten kills and matched a season-high with five digs on the Colonials' last visit to LIU Brooklyn. Fellow Michigander Frakes has 3,161 career assists, having become the fourth RMU player to reach 3,000 Oct. 27 at Sacred Heart. An Accounting major with a minor in Computer Information Systems, she ranked third in the NEC with 8.64 helpers per set in regular-season play and has averaged 7.94 per set for her collegiate career. Four of the team-leading 13 double-doubles with which Frakes finished this season happened against NEC Tournament teams.

With Their Dig-nity Intact
Taylor Lord, on Oct. 20, became the 13th different player in program history to record 1,000 career digs. Lord ultimately climbed to a 3.07 digs-per-set average. She made 19 in the season finale versus CCSU, a match that saw Robert Morris, for just the ninth time in the Dale Starr era, tie its opponent in team digs, with an incredible 102. Its most in a single match during Starr's tenure was 115 against Gardner-Webb Aug. 26, 2016. RMU had topped 100 digs against CCSU two other times in program history: 104 on Nov. 6, 2005 and 112 on Oct. 31, 2009, both on the road.

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