MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. – RMU volleyball is set to host the Natales Sporting Goods Invitational at the UPMC Events Center on Friday and Saturday.
 

WEEKEND SCHEDULE

• Friday, Sept. 18 – Siena vs. UMES | 11 a.m.

• Friday, Sept. 18 – RMU vs. Siena | 6 p.m.

• Saturday, Sept. 19 – RMU vs. UMES | 1 p.m.
   

LOOKING AT SIENA

Siena (4-5) enters the weekend riding a two-match winning streak after winning two of three contests at the Siena Invitational last weekend. The Saints opened the tournament with a 3-0 loss to Delaware State before bouncing back with sweeps of Le Moyne and Bucknell to close out the invitational.

As a team, Siena is hitting .212 on the season, recording 393 kills at an average of 11.6 per set. Mary Claire Deacy leads the Saints offensively with 105 kills in 34 sets, averaging 3.09 kills per set while hitting .305. Abby Edwards has helped direct the Siena offense, leading the team with 188 assists.
 

RMU AND SIENA HISTORY

Friday's contest marks the fourth meeting between the two programs. The teams last faced off in 2017, when RMU earned a 3-0 sweep over the Saints.

The Colonials currently hold a two-match winning streak against Siena, while the Saints' lone victory in the series came in 1994, when they swept RMU in Lewisburg, Pa.
 

LOOKING AT UMES

The Maryland Eastern Shore Eagles enter the weekend with a 1-7 record and have dropped their last six matches. UMES most recently competed in the Old Dominion Tournament, facing Navy and host Old Dominion in Norfolk, Virginia. The Eagles fell in both contests by 3-1 scores.

UMES has recorded 248 kills this season while hitting .123 as a team. Karielys Melendez leads the Eagles with 56 kills, averaging 2.33 kills per set. Jayda Hutchins (85 assists) and Kate-Linh Eden (82 assists) have helped facilitate the UMES offense.

Defensively, Arianna Warner Torres leads the team with 73 digs, while Dynasty Andrew has recorded a team-best 34.0 blocks.
 

RMU AND UMES HISTORY

Saturday's matchup will be the seventh meeting between the Colonials and Eagles, with RMU holding a 5-1 advantage in the all-time series. The Colonials have also won the last three meetings.

The teams last met in September 2025, when RMU earned a 3-0 sweep over UMES in Blacksburg, Virginia. In that contest, Tia Schultz and Keira Hornung combined for 15 kills.
 

RMU LATELY

RMU enters the weekend with an 0-9 record following a challenging early-season schedule that included matchups against teams from the SEC, ACC and Big 12, among others.

The Colonials most recently competed at the Tiger Invitational in Towson, Maryland, facing Arkansas, Howard and host Towson. RMU opened the weekend against Arkansas before returning to the court later that day to battle Howard. The Colonials pushed the Bison to five sets in a back-and-forth contest, recording 52 kills, 48 assists, 71 digs and 12 service aces. RMU closed out the tournament against Towson on Sept. 12.

Through nine matches, the Colonials have recorded 336 kills, 315 assists and 468 digs, averaging 10.5 kills, 9.8 assists and 14.6 digs per set. RMU has also tallied 43 service aces and 50.5 total blocks.

In the national rankings, the Colonials currently rank 46th in team attacks per set, averaging 36.06.

Freshman setter Kenlee Barnard has made an early impact in her collegiate career, helping direct the RMU offense while contributing defensively. Against Howard, Barnard recorded 48 assists as the Colonials produced 52 kills in five sets.
 

EVERYONE LOVES FRENCHIES

RMU volleyball will debut a brand-new promotion when the Colonials host Siena on Friday evening, with the first-ever Frenchie Race coming to the UPMC Events Center.

French bulldogs will take the court for a fun-filled race during the evening's festivities, adding a unique twist to the weekend's action.