MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The
Robert Morris volleyball team not only won its fourth five-set match in as many opportunities this season, but it did so in a manner never done before in the 38-year history of its program.
The Colonials edged Eastern Michigan (19-25, 27-25, 15-25, 27-25, 15-13) in their first match of the RMU Sheraton Innvitational at the North Athletic Complex Friday evening, by virtue of their first match point ever to withstand video replay review.
Sophomore middle blocker
Emma Granger forced an attack error by Jordan Smith on match point that was ruled as such initially. The Eagles (8-5) challenged the ruling of a net violation, but the call was ultimately upheld, giving the Cardiac Colonials another thrilling victory.
It was a fitting end to their fifth win in six matches, as it was not the only pivotal point of the final set called into question. To bring RMU to match point, senior
Taylor Lord took a pass from rookie and fellow outside hitter
Alyssa Hudak and drilled a ball that appeared to land just out of bounds.
Officials, after giving pause, ruled an EMU touch, prompting the first of two straight challenges by visiting head coach Kimi Olson. After video review, the point stayed with Robert Morris.
Granger also victimized Smith earlier in the fifth set with RMU holding a 4-2 lead. Head coach
Dale Starr contended Granger's reverberating block of a Smith attack, assisted by Hudak, landed just inside the near boundary, and after using one of his own challenges, he was vindicated.
Offensively, that northeastern Ohio tandem led the charge for Robert Morris. Hudak recorded a season-high 11 kills for the second consecutive match, and she added a season-high 18 digs for her first collegiate double-double. Granger rung up a team-best 16 kills, including one that put the Colonials up 8-6 at the side switch in the fifth, and notched a pair of service aces.
Last season's Northeast Conference Rookie of the Year came up big in the clutch. With her team trailing two sets to one, a Granger kill aided by sophomore setter
Whitney Brown brought the Colonials to within a point of evening the match once again.
A kill by Smith tied the fourth set at 24 before a Granger error allowed the Eagles to serve for match point. However, the Dalton, Ohio standout redeemed herself on the ensuing point, with more help from Brown, and she would go on to secure set point for the Colonials after a Smith miscue.
Previously, they had also taken a circuitous route to level ground in the second set. RMU saw what was once a five-point lead evaporate into a three-point deficit at one point, then offsetting errors produced a 25-25 scoreline. An ace by senior libero
Allie Yurkovich, followed by the only kill of the night from sophomore outside hitter
Mirna Sarjanovic, gave Robert Morris the win.
Yurkovich finished with two service aces and led her team's defense with 25 digs, one shy of her career high. Brown collected 49 assists and 18 digs, equaling her career high, to tie Lord with her third double-double of the year, also scattering a career-high five kills.
Things didn't come easily for Lord on this night, but she still managed a respectable nine kills and 16 digs. Meanwhile, the middle blockers, bitten by the injury bug recently, got good help in a pinch from sophomore
Skylar Clements, who set a new career high with 10 kills and matched another career high with four total blocks.
Robert Morris (5-7) continues the RMU Sheraton Innvitational on Saturday versus Houston and Purdue Fort Wayne. First serve against the Cougars is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. EDT at the North Athletic Complex, with first serve against the Mastodons slated for 4:00 p.m. EDT, and admission is free.
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