Fort Wayne, Ind. – Returning to the court after its bye week, the Robert Morris University volleyball team dropped a three-set match at Purdue Fort Wayne this evening in Horizon League action from Gates Sports Center. RMU falls to 0-5 with the loss, while the Mastodons move to 5-2.
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
RMU fell behind 6-2 early to open the match before an attack error and Erika Wilt service ace made it 6-4. Kills by Whitney Brown and Skylar Clements kept the Colonials on pace with Purdue Fort Wayne, then an attack error and combo block by Alyssa Hudak and Maria Alfano made it 12-10. The Mastodons answered with a 6-1 rally to force a RMU timeout at 18-11, then the visitors responded with a 4-1 run to make it a five-point deficit at 20-15. That gap remained over the remainder of the set, before Katie Crowe found the floor to give the hosts a 25-19 victory in the first set.
MY MARIA
Senior middle blocker Maria Alfano moved into 10th all-time at RMU in total blocks, as her four rejections (one solo) this evening gave her 268 for her career. Alfano surpassed Amanda Craig (2009-12) on the leaderboard and now sits 15 away from Kristin Thompson (283) in ninth place. The middle blocker has accumulated 236 block assists over her career, and is within striking distance of Thompson (243) and Leah Dunivan (246, 2013-16) for eighth and seventh places, respectively, in the program rankings.
HEY ROOKIE
Freshman outside hitter Abby Ryan bounced back from a tough opening set to lead the Colonials offensively with 10 kills. Eight of them came in the second set, and all 10 were compiled over the final two frames. This is the third time in five matches that Ryan has recorded double-digit kills, previously netting 12 and 11 over the season-opening two-match set against Oakland. She hit at a .189 clip over 37 swings and added six digs this evening.
HIGH HONORS
Senior setter Whitney Brown paced the Colonials in assists with 13, while Allena Carmody's eight digs were the most for the visitors. Brown and classmate Erika Wilt each fired a service ace, and Alfano's four blocks led RMU. On the other sideline Purdue Fort Wayne was led by Katie Crowe, who posted an 18-kill, 10-dig double-double.
NEXT UP
RMU and Purdue Fort Wayne close their two-match set tomorrow at 4:00 p.m. from the Gates Sports Center. The match will be aired on ESPN+.
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