MATCH 21

RMU (5-15, 2-7 #HLVB) at Northern Kentucky (11-9, 6-3 #HLVB)
Tuesday, October 17 • 6:00 p.m.
Regents Hall • Highland Heights, Ky.
 
Can You Dig It?
- The RMU volleyball team hits the road as it travels to Highland Heights, Ky., on Tuesday, Oct. 17 to take on Northern Kentucky for a league contest at Regents Hall.

- In an electric environment at the UPMC Events Center, the Colonials rallied to a 3-2 victory over Youngstown State on Friday, Oct. 13 in Horizon League action. The victory snapped RMU's six game skid.

- After dropping the opening set, the Colonials responded in the second frame 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.

- 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.

- With a 6-4 run. RMU would 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 Stepanovich, 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.

- 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.

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The All-Time Series (Northern Kentucky) – Come Tuesday evening, it'll be the eighth all-time meeting when the Colonials and Norse square off. Northern Kentucky holds a 6-1 advantage in the series as they collected a 3-0 victory earlier this season. It was an offensive struggle for both squads as neither team recorded a .200 attacking percentage for the match. Posting her sixth double-double of the season, Stepanovich paced the Colonials with 12 kills and 12 digs while tallying three service aces and three blocks. She carded six of her 12 kills in the third set alone, with a .400 hitting percentage.

Rosina Esposito posted 11 kills, eight digs, and three blocks on the evening while Azra Eric registered three successful swings and three blocks. Ashleigh Wallin led RMU with 15 assists, eight digs, and three service aces while Katie Cook netted 13 assists, four digs, two kills, and a block. Allena Carmody led the charge on the defensive with 13 digs and three service aces while Jaidan Hockman recorded eight digs and two aces. Senior Emma Brown controlled the net for the Colonials, totaling four blocks on the night.

Weekly Award Winner - Freshman outside hitter Natalie Stepanovich was tabbed the Under Armour #HLVB Player of the Week, announced by the league office on Monday afternoon.

Stepanovich helped the Colonials snap its six-game skid as they rallied to a 3-2 victory over Youngstown State on Friday, Oct. 13 at the UPMC Events Center. She 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.

The Ohio native began the night by posting five kills on 10 attacks, with a .400 hitting percentage in the opening stanza. She followed that up with five successful swings and an impressive .625 attacking percentage while carding five points and seven digs in frame three. Stepanovich remained consistent, pacing RMU with six kills and seven digs, helping the Colonials rally and force set five.

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