FAIRFIELD, Conn. -- The
Robert Morris volleyball team gave another Northeast Conference opponent all it could handle in the person of its dynamic front-row tandem, but Sacred Heart turned out to be a more ungracious host on the back leg of the team's latest road trip.
The Colonials (8-14, 2-5) were edged by the Pioneers (12-6, 5-2) in a back-and-forth, four-set battle (23-25, 25-17, 18-25, 21-25) at the Pitt Center Saturday.
Maria Alfano, looking as polished and healthy as she has since the preseason, equaled her season-high with 11 kills, and fellow sophomore middle blocker
Emma Granger delivered a team-high 13.
They combined for a .360 attack average and half of 12 total blocks by RMU. After Alfano helped it open up an 8-5 lead in the first set that SHU turned into a 13-12 deficit, Granger put one away that withstood video review to tie the game.
The teams would go on to forge six ties the rest of the way in the first before the Pios finally pulled away.
Robert Morris took command of the second set with a 7-0 run keyed by
Allie Yurkovich that yielded a 17-7 cushion. The senior libero made 22 digs to pace all players and recorded a career-high four service aces.
Fellow senior
Liz Campbell, who has also battled her way back from an early-season injury, backed up Alfano and Granger nicely at the middle blocker spot with four kills and four total blocks, as well as three digs. Campbell brought the lead to as much as 22-13 for the Colonials.
Alfano and Campbell were clicking midway through the third, which saw them lift Robert Morris out of a small hole for a short-lived 13-11 edge. Sophomore outside hitter
Mirna Sarjanovic, who continued her consistent play off the bench this weekend with eight kills and eight digs, broke a 14-14 deadlock.
However, a 5-0 run by Sacred Heart that began with a service error--a familiar bugaboo for the visitors--put them on their heels for the rest of the set.
The requisite urgency of which RMU has recently spoken was on display in the fourth. It fell behind 10-4, then 14-8 before roaring back to tie. Again, the middles took charge, with Alfano collecting a rare ace and Granger and Campbell getting in Sacred Heart's way.
The Pioneers would settle down and take the next three points, giving them the lead for good.
With the first stage of round-robin conference play now complete, more of that urgency will be necessary to re-enter the NEC race as Robert Morris begins the 2018 stretch run at home. Next week, the Colonials look to avenge a pair of losses to Central Connecticut and Bryant, two of last year's postseason qualifiers.
First serves against the Blue Devils and Bulldogs from the North Athletic Complex are scheduled for 7:00 and 5:00 p.m. EDT, respectively, Oct. 19-20, and admission to both matches is free.
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