Moon Township, Pa. – Trailing 2-0 entering the third set, the Robert Morris University volleyball team made a furious comeback to force a deciding frame, but ultimately fell to Central Connecticut (24-26, 20-25, 25-23, 26-24, 12-15) this evening in the Northeast Conference (NEC) Tournament semifinals at the UPMC Events Center.
Hosting its first NEC Tournament in 11 seasons, Robert Morris (25-5, 15-1 NEC) ran into a talented Central Connecticut (15-14, 10-6 NEC) side that took the hosts to five sets in their previous meeting two weeks ago. Both teams were nearly even on their hitting percentages, with the Blue Devils owning a slight .191 to .188 edge, and the Colonials topped their counterparts in total team blocks (13.0 to 10.0) and service aces (5 to 2).
GALLERY: Central Connecticut 3, Robert Morris 2
Emma Granger led the RMU attack with her fifth outing of 20 or more kills this month, tallying a team-high 23 to go along with eight block assists and three service aces. Granger's 30.0-point performance is the third highest in single-match history, behind her previous game at Long Island (30.5) and on Nov. 8 against CCSU (33.0).
Lauren Kolenik (16k, 25d) and Whitney Brown (53a, 16d) posted double-doubles for the hosts, while Maria Alfano and Alyssa Hudak recorded 10 kills each. Allena Carmody served a pair of aces, and Nikolette Zanolli and Erika Wilt registered 21 and 18 digs, respectively.
Owning a 2-0 lead, CCSU stormed out of the gates in the third frame by opening up a 17-10 lead. With their backs against the wall, the Colonials started chipping away at the gap, beginning with a Kolenik kill and Blue Devil error. Kolenik answered a Morgan Woycik point to make it 18-13, then Granger and Brown tallied the next three points to pull RMU within two.
The Blue Devils called a timeout and received an Emma Henderson kill out of the break, then Granger and Woycik traded points. Alfano buried a kill to make it 22-20, igniting a four-point rally that put RMU in front at 23-22. After CCSU pulled even on the next serve, Alfano found the floor and the Blue Devils missed on a set to keep the Colonials alive.
RMU started much stronger in the fourth set, going up 12-9 with a Carmody ace. The gap never grew from there, however, and CCSU climbed in front at 21-20 to force a timeout. Granger came out of the break and put the Colonials back ahead with two kills that sandwiched a Blue Devils attack error, then Samantha McCreath and Isabelle Roufs finished a pair of sets to knot it at 23-23.
Both teams swapped points to make it 24-24, then Hudak gave RMU set point with a kill. Granger stepped to the line and finished it off with her first ace of the night, placing it just inside the line to force a deciding frame.
Neither team could find a break in the final set, until a CCSU block forced a timeout at 11-9. The Blue Devils made it a three-point lead with a Henderson kill, but Granger responded with a kill and ace to pull the Colonials within one.
Another Granger ace tied it briefly before the Blue Devils regained the lead, then McCreath found floor on back-to-back swings to send the visitors to the NEC Tournament final.
Henderson led all players with 24 kills, adding 25 digs for a double-double. She was one of four CCSU players with double-doubles, joining McCreath (20k, 17d), Erin McDermott (41a, 15d), and Madelyn Kaprelyan (21a, 19d).
The No. 4 seed Blue Devils will play No. 2 seed Sacred Heart in tomorrow's championship match, which is scheduled for a 4:00 p.m. opening serve. The Pioneers defeated No. 3 seed Long Island in the nightcap, 3-0.
Granger finished off a junior season that can be considered one of the best in Robert Morris history. The Dalton, Ohio native broke the single-season record in total blocks (160), finished second in hitting percentage (.381), service aces (60), and block assists (142), and ninth in kills (389). The unanimous NEC Player of the Year posted five of the top 10 highest point totals in single-match history over the year, holding the first, second, third, fifth, and 10th spots on the list. Already the owner of the program's career service aces standard, Granger will enter her senior campaign 72 block assists and 90 total blocks out of top billing in those respective categories, and ranks third all-time in hitting percentage (.340). Additionally, she recorded her 1,000th career kill this evening, and now is 41 away from breaking into that top 10.
Despite the disappointment of this evening's defeat, Robert Morris' 2019 was a season to remember. The Colonials' 25 wins are the third most all-time, and their 15 NEC victories are a program record. RMU captured its seventh regular-season conference title and first in 11 years, and is slated to return its entire team – including the All-NEC junior trio of Granger, Alfano, and Brown – plus early signees Emma Brown, Annie Monaco, and Abby Ryan into the 2020 fold.
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