Youngstown, Ohio – In its final non-conference test of the season, the Robert Morris University volleyball team fell in five sets (25-16, 22-25, 25-11, 24-26, 13-15) to Eastern Illinois on the final day of the Youngstown State Red & White Invitational.
Looking to rebound after suffering its first two losses of 2019, Robert Morris (10-3, 0-0 NEC) put forth a roller coaster performance, hitting .231, .429, and .368 in the odd-numbered sets, with .048 and .102 hitting percentages in the even-numbered. The Colonials hurt themselves with errors in the final frame, committing three receiving errors, a service error, and ball handling mistake.
RMU started slow in the first two sets, but kicked off the middle stanza with four of the first five points. Eastern Illinois (1-11, 0-0 OVC) pulled within two at 9-7, then the Colonials rattled off five straight points, capped by a Skylar Clements kill, to take control of the frame. Another five-point rally with two EIU attack errors pushed the gap to double digits, and Alyssa Hudak finished it off with one of her 11 kills.
After falling in a long fourth set, 26-24, RMU tallied just two of the first 11 points in the deciding frame as the Panthers jumped ahead, 9-2. Emma Granger netted the next two points on a kill and block, but EIU responded with four of the next six to have victory within reach. A desperate push by the Colonials at the end was for naught, as their four-point rally ended with a Kylie Michael kill.
Granger posted the second double-double of her career (Oct. 27, 2017 at Sacred Heart) with 13 kills and 10 block assists. The junior hit .324 on 34 swings, adding a pair of service aces as she made her fourth All-Tournament Team of the non-conference slate.
Kolenik and Whitney Brown also registered double-doubles in defeat. Kolenik's fourth of the season came courtesy of a team-high 16 kills and 12 digs, while Brown's fifth of 2019 was made up of 40 assists and 15 digs.
Erika Wilt shattered her previous career high in digs, collecting a team-best 27. Nikolette Zanolli netted 20 digs, her fifth such performance of the season.
RMU's 10-3 non-conference record is its best since 2008. That team won 11 matches out of league, serving as a springboard to a perfect 8-0 mark in Northeast Conference (NEC) play and regular-season title.
Robert Morris begins the NEC slate on Friday, Sept. 27 at 7:00 p.m. when it welcomes league newcomer Merrimack to the UPMC Events Center.
Follow the Colonials: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook
