Moon Township, Pa. – The Robert Morris University volleyball overcame a slow start this evening against IUPUI, coming back from a 1-0 deficit to defeat the Jaguars in four sets (18-25, 25-20, 25-19, 25-18) in Horizon League action from the UPMC Events Center. RMU moves to 2-11 (2-11 HL) with the win, while IUPUI falls to 0-9 (0-9 HL).
MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
After falling in the opening set, 25-18, the Colonials began the second frame by scoring eight of the first 12 points. The RMU lead remained at four through 17-13, but a 6-2 rally by the Jaguars knotted the set up at 19-19. Annie Monaco stopped the bleeding with a kill, then a pair of IUPUI attack errors pushed the gap to 22-19. Skylar Clements followed that up by connecting on a swing, and Mirna Sarjanovic served up an ace to force set point and a Jaguars timeout. IUPUI netted a block out of the break, but Alyson Londot squashed any comeback hopes with a kill to tie the match at a set apiece.
MISS 300
Senior middle blocker Maria Alfano became the ninth player in program history to record 300 total blocks in a career, tallying a season-high eight (two solo) to go along with 11 kills. Alfano moved past Leah Dunivan (300; 2013-16) for seventh place at RMU in total blocks, and sits five block assists shy of tying Janette Schneider (270; 2003-06) for fifth place in that category. The Cranberry Township, Pa. native leads the Colonials in hitting percentage (.274), blocks per set (1.03), and points per set (2.89), and has tallied five or more rejections in the last three matches and four of the last six.
BREAKING THE DEADLOCK
RMU carried its momentum swing into the third set, grabbing a 12-6 lead on a Nikolette Zanolli service ace. The gap remained between three and six points until a couple of Allie Logue kills pulled the Jaguars within two at 18-16, but Emma Brown answered with a kill and assisted block to force an IUPUI timeout. After the visitors cut the deficit to two once again, the Colonials leaned on their Buckeye State sistren to bring the set home, as Londot and Alyssa Hudak both tallied two kills, and Zanolli fired an ace.
LEAD THE CHARGE
Senior outside hitter Alyson Londot registered season highs in kills (15), blocks (4), and points (17.0) this evening, and nearly matched her 2021 top dig total with six. Londot hit at a .216 clip, reaching double-digit kills for the fourth time this season and 10.0 or more points for the fifth time. Five of her kills came in the final set, as well as two of her four block assists.
COMEBACK CLINCHER
IUPUI responded from its defeat in the third set by taking a 9-5 lead early in the fourth stanza. A three-point rally highlighted by a Megan Cannon dump forced a timeout from the visitors at 9-8, and the Jaguars responded with four of the next seven points to grab a 13-11 advantage. Both teams then went on extended runs, starting with a 6-0 RMU rally capped by a Zanolli ace, followed by a 4-0 stretch by IUPUI to tie the set at 17-17. The Colonials answered with a 7-1 run – four of those points coming from Alfano – and after a Jaguars block to keep the match alive briefly at 24-19, the senior middle blocker clinched the win with her 11th kill of the evening.
TRUST THE KIDS
A pair of RMU freshmen impressed in Emma Brown and Annie Monaco impressed in reserve roles this evening, helping the Colonials reverse the fortunes from their first set defeat. Brown played in multiple sets for the first time since Feb. 1 at UIC, and provided three blocks (one solo) and a kill. Monaco tallied five kills on a .235 hitting percentage, adding a service ace and two digs.
HIGH HONORS
Junior setter Megan Cannon directed the offense this evening, dishing out 31 assists to go along with five digs and two kills. Third-year libero Nikolette Zanolli recorded team bests in service aces (3) and digs (15). IUPUI had three players share its leading role in kills, as Rhiannon Schuenemann, Emily Alan, and Allie Pogue all tallied nine each.
NEXT UP
RMU faces IUPUI again tomorrow at 5:00 p.m. from the UPMC Events Center. The match will be broadcast live on ESPN+, and after its conclusion the Colonials will recognize the careers of seniors Maria Alfano, Whitney Brown, Skylar Clements, Mirna Sarjanovic, and Erika Wilt, and recently graduated Lauren Kolenik as part of Senior Night festivities.
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