Moon Township, Pa. – The RMU volleyball team continued a five-match road trip Sunday, falling in five sets to Cleveland State at Woodling Gymnasium in Cleveland, Ohio. The Colonials fell to 9-15 (.375) overall during the 2021 campaign, including 2-10 (.167) in the Horizon League.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Colonials recorded a hitting percentage of .500 in the opening set against the Vikings en route to a 25-13 win. Outside hitters
Alyssa Hudak,
Annie Monaco and
Abby Ryan combined for nine kills in 19 total attempts while suffering just one attack error. RMU was able to grab a 2-0 lead in the match by using an 11-6 run in the second set that turned a 6-6 tie into a 17-12 advantage. Ryan provided a pair of kills during the surge, while fifth-year middle blocker
Emma Granger notched a service ace.
THREE, FOUR
Cleveland State (8-15 / 6-6 #HLVB) jumped out to a 7-4 advantage in the third set and extended its lead to 15-8 after a service ace from Emma Walker. RMU battled back, closing to within 19-18 on the strength of a 6-1 run that featured a kill from Hudak and a pair of service aces from Monaco. Tied, 20-20, after an attack error by Erica Kostelac of the Vikings, CSU atoned for that error after a challenge, with Kostelac and London Portis posting consecutive kills to give CSU a 22-20 lead. The Colonials called timeout but couldn't pull even, with Cleveland State earning its first set win, 25-23. Monaco gave RMU a 4-1 lead in the fourth set with a kill, but like the second set when the Colonials used a run to break open the set, the Vikings did the same in the fourth. Tied, 6-6, Cleveland State used a 12-3 surge to open up an 18-9 lead in the fourth set en route to a 25-14 win, setting up the deciding set.
I GOT FIVE ON IT
Cleveland State never trailed in the fifth set, opening with consecutive kills from Keanna Avery. The Vikings recorded 11 kills in 20 total attempts in the final frame, failing to record an attack error in posting a .550 hitting percentage. Avery was the key offensive force, posting four kills, including the final point of the match. Overall she finished with 12 kills, while Portis garnered match-high honors with 20 kills and a .342 attack percentage.
INSIDE THE BOXSCORE
Monaco paced the Colonials Sunday against the Vikings with an all-around effort, recording 16 kills and registering career highs in assists (2), service aces (5) and points (21). She also notched eight digs. Ryan chipped in nine kills, while Hudak posted eight. Granger finished with seven kills in 15 attempts without an attack error to lead RMU with a .467 hitting percentage and also added four blocks. Also notching a quartet of blocks was freshman
Ashleigh Wallin, who also fell one assist shy of tying a career high by dishing out 38 helpers. As a team, the Colonials posted a .227 hitting percentage, their highest mark since a sweep of IUPUI (10/2) at the UPMC Events Center.
UP NEXT
RMU looks to get back on track Friday, Oct. 29, with a 6:00 p.m. first serve @ Purdue Fort Wayne. The Colonials will also travel to IUPUI (10/30) and Youngstown State (11/5) to conclude their road swing.
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