Volleyball Drops 3-1 Decision to Robert Morris

The Central Connecticut volleyball team won the opening set, but Robert Morris rebounded to win the match 3-1 on Sunday in New Britain. The Blue Devils took the opening set 25-19, but RMU took the next three 25-17, 25-17 and 25-22.

The loss drops Central to 10-10 overall and 2-5 in the Northeast Conference. Robert Morris improves to 11-11 overall and 5-2 in the NEC.

Senior Ashley Lenington served the first three points for CCSU, including an ace to make it 3-0 in the opening set and Central led throughout. The Blue Devils did not allow Robert Morris to score a point off of a serve until CCSU already led 18-10. Central held RMU to just a .081 hitting percentage in the set and recorded five blocks to take an early 1-0 lead.

Robert Morris bounced back in the second set to take a 6-0 lead on the serving of Liz Campbell. The Blue Devils managed to regroup and chip away at the deficit. A kill by junior Nicole Dean tied the match at 16-16, but the Colonials responded by scoring five straight points to regain control of the set and close it out on a 9-1 run.

The Colonials scored the first three points of the third set and led throughout. RMU hit .289 as a team in the set and collected 23 digs as a team in the set to limit CCSU a .093 hitting percentage. April Krivoniak served six straight points to help RMU turn a close set into a 24-16 margin. 

The teams went back and forth in the early stages of the fourth set before four straight points helped CCSU take an 8-5 lead following an ace by sophomore Lindsey Massicotte. Senior Makenna Lommori served three straight points for Central and a kill by sophomore Maddie Smith made it 19-16, but a late run of five straight points helped the Colonials go ahead 23-20 after a kill by Kristin Thompson. A kill by Thompson and a CCSU error closed out the set to give the match to Robert Morris.

Lommori led the Blue Devils attack with 10 kills and added a team-high 17 assists. Junior Rachel Fish collected a team-high 17 digs, while Smith had a solo block and seven block assists to help Central collect 12 blocks as a team.

Thompson finished with a match-high 22 kills and Campbell had 55 assists to lead the Colonials.

The Blue Devils are back in action on Friday, Oct. 23, when they play at St. Francis Brooklyn.