Moon Township, Pa. – In an electric environment at the UPMC Events Center, the RMU volleyball team rallied to a 3-2 victory over Youngstown State in Horizon League action on Friday night.

With the win, the Colonials snap its six-game skid and improve to 5-15 overall behind a 2-7 record in league action. Meanwhile, the Penguins fall to 7-13 this season with a 2-7 mark in conference action.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
It was a battle of runs in the opening frame before YSU used a late 5-2 surge to secure a 1-0 advantage. The Penguins used 14 kills and took advantage of a slugging RMU attack to gain an early match lead. The Colonials would respond in set two, countering with 15 kills and an impressive .306 attacking percentage to even the match 1-1. RMU opened the set on a 6-2 surge, forcing an early Penguin timeout. Freshman Natalie Stepnaovich paced the run with three kills while senior Emma Brown and sophomore Hillarie Adams each carded a point. Out of the timeout, the Colonials picked up where they left off, boosting eight of the next 12 points to extend its lead, 14-6 and forcing another YSU timeout. Out of the second Penguin break, the two teams traded the next 12 points before RMU registered a 5-2 surge to claim the match, 25-14. Stepanovich recorded a pair of successful swings while freshman Azra Eric capped the set with a kill.

RALLY RALLY
In the third stanza, it was a back-and-forth affair as there were 14 ties and three lead changes before YSU secured a 2-1 match advantage. The Colonials would respond, producing 15 kills and a .302 hitting percentage to rally and even the match, 2-2 in frame four. The two squads traded the opening six points before the Penguins scored five of the next seven scores to hold an 8-6 lead. RMU countered with a 6-4 run to knot the score at 12-all midway through the set. Brown and graduate student Rosina Esposito led the charge with two successful swings each while Adams and Stepnanovich found the floor successfully.

YSU would hold a 17- 14 advantage before capturing a 22-18 lead and forcing a Colonial timeout. Out of the break, RMU mounted seven consecutive scores to earn a set four victory. Brown sparked the run with a kill before a service ace by graduate student Allena Carmody forced a Penguin timeout. After back-to-back kills from Esposito and Stempaovich, an attacking error by YSU forced them to call its second timeout. RMU would secure the final two points to complete the rally, 25-22.

FIFTH FRAME VICTORY
In its first fifth set of the season, the Colonials came out swinging, grabbing a 3-0 early lead. Brown led the charge with a pair of kills while Stepnaovich found the floor for a point. After a YSU timeout, the Penguins didn't shy away, registering seven of the next nine scores to hold a 7-5 advantage. RMU responded like it had all night, mounting a 5-1 surge to force another YSU timeout and gain a 10-8 lead. After knotting the score at 10-10, tallied five of the final seven points to secure the match. Adams registered a point, followed by a service ace by Ashleigh Wallin and an attacking error by the Penguins. After consecutive kills from YSU, Brown found the floor successfully before junior Jaidan Hockman capped the match with an ace. It's the second time this season Hockman has recorded a match point service ace.

QUOTABLE
"This is a magical sport and what an environment we had tonight," RMU head coach Danny Doherty said. "Our student-athletes, families, and local community members came out tonight and it was just an amazing thing to see. Once you have that energy, it's easy to push yourself to that next level and I think our girls did that tonight and it was a great experience to see."

RIDE THE HIGH
A pair of Colonials lit up the stat sheet against the Penguins as Natalie Stepnaovich and Emma Brown both posted season and career-highs. Stepanovich led RMU with her ninth kill/dig double-double of the season, posting a season-best 24 successful swings and 22 digs. She also carded a season-high three blocks while tallying five or more kills in sets one through four. Brown recorded one of her best performances of the season, collecting a career-high 14 kills, two blocks, and two digs for RMU. She posted a .290 attacking percentage while finishing with three or more successful swings in sets two through five. Brown led the charge for the Colonials in the fifth frame, collecting three kills and a .400 hitting percentage.

QUOTABLE
"Those two were lights out tonight," continued Doherty. "Those two are two kids that show up and want it on a daily basis and they proved it today. Both of them were consistent and did their job and I'm extremely happy for them. The whole team played very well together and those two might have had highs but it was because of the build we had on the floor tonight."

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
Hillarie Adams was the third Colonial in double-figures, registering 12 kills, one block, and a dig. Esposito finished with a season-high 13 digs while collecting eight kills and three blocks. Eric paced the squad and set a season-high with five blocks while tallying five kills during the win. Wallin and Cook controlled the pace of the offense as Wallin collected 33 assists, nine digs, and three aces while Cook posted a season-best 22 assists and two digs. Carmody ended the night with 19 digs, four assists, and a service ace against the Penguins.

UP NEXT
The Colonials hit the road as they travel to Northern Kentucky for a Horizon League contest on Tuesday, Oct. 17, with the opening service scheduled for 6:00 p.m.

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