MATCHES 25-26
 
RMU (9-15 / 2-10 #HLVB) @ Purdue Fort Wayne (6-20 / 4-9 #HLVB)
Friday, Oct. 29, 2021 • 6:00 p.m.
Gates Sports Center • Fort Wayne, Ind.
 
RMU @ IUPUI (3-21 / 1-12 #HLVB)
Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021 • 4:00 p.m.
The Jungle • Indianapolis, Ind.
 
Can You Dig It?
 
- The RMU volleyball team continues a five-match road trip with a swing through the Hoosier State this weekend. The Colonials visit Purdue Fort Wayne Friday, Oct. 29, for a 6:00 p.m. first serve before taking on IUPUI Saturday, Oct. 30, at 4:00 p.m. in Indianapolis, Ind.
 
- RMU is looking to snap a six-match losing streak Friday against the Mastodons. The Colonials opened their road trip with a 3-0 setback @ Oakland (10/23) before falling @ Cleveland State (10/24) in five sets.
 
- Outside hitter Alyssa Hudak led RMU with six kills and a .357 hitting percentage against the Golden Grizzlies, while middle blocker Emma Brown and outside hitter Abby Ryan each recorded five kills for the Colonials.
 
- Libero Nikolette Zanolli became the 13th student-athlete in program history to eclipse 1,000 career digs @ Oakland. Thanks to her third dig of the match she reached the threshold, becoming the first to reach the mark since Taylor Lord (2015-18) during the 2017 season. Zanolli owns 1,014 digs during her career and has averaged 3.61 per set.
 
- Against the Vikings, outside hitter Annie Monaco recorded a complete effort, pacing the Colonials with 16 kills while registering career highs in assists (2), service aces (5) and points (21). She also notched eight digs.
 
 - RMU enters action this weekend tops in the Horizon League in service aces with an average of 2.02 per set. In 89 sets during the 2021 campaign, the Colonials have posted 180 service aces. UIC ranks second at 1.94 service aces per set, while Green Bay sits third at 1.83.
 
- 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 (0.54 per set), Granger also ranks third in the circuit in blocks (1.02 per set) and fifth in hitting percentage (.282).
 
- In addition to Granger leading the Horizon League in service aces, three other Colonials rank in the top 10 in the category. Outside hitter Annie Monaco (0.35) ranks seventh, setter Ashleigh Wallin (0.34) ranks eighth and libero Nikolette Zanolli (0.33) ranks ninth.
 
- RMU will conclude its five-match road trip after its swing through Indiana Friday, Nov. 5, with a 6:00 p.m. first serve @ Youngstown State.
 
PURDUE FORT WAYNE / IUPUI LINKS
- Video (Purdue Fort Wayne)
- Live Stats (Purdue Fort Wayne)
- Live Stats (IUPUI)
- RMU Athletics Gameday App

The All-Time Series (Purdue Fort Wayne) – The Colonials are searching for their first win in the all-time series against the Mastodons Friday, with the meeting the seventh between the two programs. Purdue Fort Wayne earned a 3-1 win over RMU earlier this season at the UPMC Events Center (10/1), with the match featuring 32 ties and 18 lead changes. Freshman setter Ashleigh Wallin recorded her first career double-double against the Mastodons with 35 assists and 10 digs.
 
The All-Time Series (IUPUI) – Saturday's match between the Colonials and Jaguars is the fifth in the all-time series, with RMU owning a 3-1 (.750) advantage. In the first meeting of the 2021 season series earlier this season at the UPMC Events Center (10/2), the Colonials earned a 3-0 triumph as outside hitter Annie Monaco posted a double-double with 14 kills and 11 digs.
 
Driver's Seat – RMU continues to top the NCAA leaderboard in service aces entering action this weekend, as the Colonials have compiled 180 during the 2021 campaign, which is 11 more than Delaware (169). Boise State (166), fellow Horizon League member Green Bay (165) and Delaware State (162) round out the top five in the category. In aces per set, the Colonials rank seventh at 2.02 and are on pace to finish the season with 216 total service aces. The RMU team record of 236 was set in 1995 and matched in 2001.
 
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 (231), block assists (405) and total blocks (475), Granger also ranks seventh in program history with 1,211 career kills and fourth in hitting percentage (.323). She 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.

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