Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU volleyball team wrapped up a four-match homestand at the UPMC Events Center Saturday by snapping a three-match slide with a 3-0 sweep of IUPUI. The Colonials even their overall record at 8-8 (.500) and improve to 1-3 (.250) in the Horizon League.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Colonials fell behind in the opening set, 6-1, before rattling off a 19-7 surge to take a 20-13 advantage. A service error by Addie Evans started the rally, with outside hitter
Annie Monaco providing the offense with six kills, including three consecutive on feeds from setter
Ashleigh Wallin that gave the Colonials a 13-8 edge. Monaco showed her versatility during the match, providing slams and floaters to help bolster RMU. Monaco finished with a .556 attack percentage in the opening set and also registered a pair of digs.
SET TWO
Energized from the opening set triumph, the Colonials and Jaguars went back and forth through the first half of the second, which featured 14 ties and six lead changes. Tied, 17-17, RMU used a 4-0 spurt to grab the lead for good. Monaco, graduate student
Alyson Londot and senior
Alyssa Hudak each finished with three kills in the second, while Wallin added 11 assists.
DOUBLE-DOUBLE (AGAIN)
A night after Wallin registered her first career NCAA double-double, Monaco followed suit Saturday, pacing the Colonials with 14 kills and 11 digs. In registering her second career double-double, the performance against IUPUI capped a stellar weekend for the sophomore from Ohio. In the final two matches of RMU's homestand, Monaco led the Colonials with 27 kills (3.86 per set), 20 digs and a .365 hitting percentage. Overall during the four-match homestand, Monaco was one of three Colonials to register at least 30 kills, leading the way at 2.73 per set thanks to 30 in 11 sets while also recording a team-high .317 attack percentage.
THE SPARK
Outside hitter
Abby Ryan provided the spark for the Colonials in the third set as RMU sealed the sweep, starting in her only action of the contest and posting five kills and a dig. Her last two kills of the contest came as the Colonials closed in on the victory, including one from Wallin that gave RMU a 24-19 advantage. As a team the Colonials posted a .255 attack percentage, finishing with 35 kills and 11 errors in 94 total attempts on the night.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Wallin eclipsed 30 assists for the second consecutive match, dishing out 31 while also registering a kill, service ace and block. The Colonials improved to 3-1 (.750) during the 2021 season when the rookie hands out at least 30 dimes. While Monaco led the way with 14 kills, RMU otherwise received a balanced attack offensively, with Hudak, Londot, Ryan and graduate student
Emma Granger each recording five kills. Granger posted a .400 hitting percentage, three service aces and four blocks.
THE HOMESTAND
In the four matches for RMU, Granger and Hudak tied for team-high honors with 31 kills each in 13 sets, an average of 2.38 per set. Granger hit .313 during the homestand and also notched seven service aces and 19 total blocks, including three solo. She finished with a team-high 49 points and for the 2021 season is just four points shy of 200.
UP NEXT
RMU takes to the road Tuesday, Oct. 5, for a 6:00 p.m. match against Northern Kentucky in Highland Heights, Ky., before returning home to the UPMC Events Center to kickoff Homecoming weekend Friday, Oct. 8, with a 6:00 p.m. match against Youngstown State.
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