MATCHES 23-24
RMU (9-13 / 2-8 #HLVB) @ Oakland (12-9 / 6-4 #HLVB)
Saturday, Oct. 23, 2021 • 2:00 p.m.
Athletics Center O'Rena • Rochester, Mich.
 
RMU @ Cleveland State (6-15 / 4-6 #HLVB)
Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021 • 2:00 p.m.
Woodling Gymnasium • Cleveland, Ohio
 
Can You Dig It?
 
- The RMU volleyball team opens a five-match road trip this weekend with a pair of Horizon League tilts. The Colonials visit Oakland Saturday, Oct. 23, for a 2:00 p.m. first serve before traveling to take on Cleveland State Sunday, Oct. 24, at 2:00 p.m.
 
- RMU is looking to snap a four-match losing streak Saturday against the Golden Grizzlies. Oakland earned a 3-0 sweep of the Colonials in the first meeting between the two programs earlier this season at the UPMC Events Center.
 
- The Colonials dropped a 3-0 decision to Wright State (10/19) in their last outing. RMU dropped a hard-fought opening set, 30-28, before falling in sets two (25-16) and three (25-14).
 
- Against the Raiders, fifth-year middle blocker Emma Granger led the way with nine kills and a .333 hitting percentage while also notching a pair of service aces and a solo block. Outside hitter Abby Ryan contributed eight kills and four digs.
 
 - RMU enters action this weekend tops in the Horizon League in service aces with an average of 1.99 per set. In 81 sets during the 2021 campaign, the Colonials have posted 161 service aces, eight more than Green Bay (153), which has played 79 sets and averages 1.94.
 
- Individually, fifth-year middle blocker Emma Granger ranks in the top five in the Horizon League in three categories. In addition to leading the conference in service aces (0.57 per set), Granger also ranks third in the circuit in blocks (1.04 per set) and fourth in hitting percentage (.289).
 
- Also ranking in the top 10 for the Colonials in the Horizon League for service aces is senior Nikolette Zanolli (0.35), who ranks sixth, and freshman Ashleigh Wallin (0.33), who sits ninth.
 
- In addition to road matches this weekend against Oakland and Cleveland State, the Colonials will also visit Purdue Fort Wayne (10/29), IUPUI (10/30) and Youngstown State (11/5) as part of their road swing.

OAKLAND / CLEVELAND STATE LINKS
- Live Stats (Oakland)
- Video (Cleveland State)
- Live Stats (Cleveland State)
- RMU Athletics Gameday App
 
The All-Time Series (Oakland) – The Golden Grizzlies own a 7-2 (.778) advantage in the all-time series against RMU after earning a 3-0 win over the Colonials at the UPMC Events Center (9/25). In that match outside hitter Abby Ryan led RMU with 10 kills, while outside hitter Alyssa Hudak recorded six kills and a .263 attack percentage.
 
The All-Time Series (Cleveland State) – Sunday's meeting between the Colonials and Vikings marks the 27th in the all-time series, with Cleveland State holding a 25-1 (.962) advantage. CSU has won eight consecutive matches over RMU after a 3-0 victory at the UPMC Events Center (9/24) earlier this year. Middle blocker Emma Granger paced the offense against the Vikings in that match with 12 kills, a .556 hitting percentage and two service aces while also notching five blocks.

Driver's Seat – RMU enters action this weekend back on top of the NCAA Division I leaderboard in service aces, as the Colonials have compiled 161 during the 2021 season, which is three more than Delaware State (158). Boise State (155), Delaware (154) and fellow Horizon League member Green Bay (153) round out the top five in the category. In aces per set, the Colonials are tied for 10th at 1.99 with USC Upstate and Lipscomb, while individually fifth-year middle blocker Emma Granger ranks third with 44, trailing only Dani Nay (47) of Weber State and Lydia Bartalo (46) of Denver.
 
A Unique Opportunity – Emma Granger has cemented her place in RMU volleyball lore in 2021, and the fifth-year middle blocker has a shot this season to do something no student-athlete in program history has accomplished. The program's all-time leader in service aces (230), block assists (400) and total blocks (469), Granger also eclipsed 1,200 career kills in RMU's last match against Wright State (10/19). Thanks to nine kills against the Raiders, Granger owns 1,202 kills during her time as a member of the Colonials, which ranks seventh in program history. Granger also ranks fourth in career attack percentage (.324) and has an opportunity to become the first student-athlete in program history to eclipse totals of 1,000 kills, 500 blocks and 250 service aces.
 
Dragon Ball Z – Senior Nikolette Zanolli has been a consistent presence for the Colonials on defense in recent weeks, as the libero enters RMU's five-match road swing just three digs shy of becoming the 13th student-athlete in school history to eclipse 1,000 career digs. She would be the first to reach the threshold since Taylor Lord (2015-18) during the 2017 season.

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